SUBTROPICAL 
VEGETABLE- 
GARDENING 

BY 

P.M.  ROLFS 


The  Rural  Science  Series 
LR  Bailoy  Editor 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


Ube  IRural  Science  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 


SUBTROPICAL   VEGETABLE-GARDENING 


EJje  i&ural  Science  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 

THE  SOIL.     King. 

THE  SPRAYING  OF  PLANTS.     Lodeman. 

MILK  AND  ITS  PRODUCTS.    Wing.   Enlarged  and  Revised. 

THE  FERTILITY  OF  THE  LAND.     Roberts. 

THE     PRINCIPLES    OF    FRUIT-GROWING.     Bailey.     20th 

Edition,  Revised. 
BUSH-FRUITS.     Card. 
FERTILIZERS.     Voorhees.     Revised. 
THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  AGRICULTURE.    Bailey.     Revised. 
IRRIGATION  AND  DRAINAGE.     King. 
THE  FARMSTEAD.     Roberts. 
RURAL  WEALTH  AND  WELFARE.     Fairchild. 
THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  VEGETABLE-GARDENING.   Bailey. 
FARM  POULTRY.    Watson.    Enlarged  and  Revised. 
THE  FEEDING  OF  ANIMALS.     Jordan. 
THE  FARMER'S  BUSINESS  HANDBOOK.     Roberts. 
THE  DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS.     Mayo. 
THE  HORSE.     Roberts. 
How  TO  CHOOSE  A  FARM.     Hunt. 
FORAGE  CROPS.     Voorhees. 

BACTERIA  IN  RELATION  TO  COUNTRY  LIFE.     Lipman. 
THE  NURSERY-BOOK.     Bailey. 
PLANT-BREEDING.     Bailey  and  Gilbert.     Revised. 
THE  FORCING-BOOK.     Bailey. 
THE  PRUNING-BOOK.     Bailey. 

FRUIT-GROWING  IN  ARID  REGIONS.  Paddock  and  Whipple. 
RURAL  HYGIENE.     Ogden. 
DRY-FARMING.     Widtsoe. 
LAW  FOR  THE  AMERICAN  FARMER.     Green. 
FARM  BOYS  AND  GIRLS.    McKeever. 
THE  TRAINING  AND  BREAKING  OF  HORSES.    Harper. 
SHEEP-FARMING  IN  NORTH  AMERICA.     Craig. 
COOPERATION  IN  AGRICULTURE.     Powell. 
THE  FARM  WOODLOT.     Cheyney  and  Wentling. 
HOUSEHOLD  INSECTS.     Herrick. 
CITRUS  FRUITS.     Coit. 
PRINCIPLES  OF  RURAL  CREDITS.     Morman. 
BEEKEEPING.     Phillips. 
SUBTROPICAL  VEGETABLE-GARDENING.     Rolfs. 


SUBTROPICAL 
VEGETABLE-GARDENING 


BY 
P.    H.    ROLFS 

L 

DIRECTOR   OF    THE    EXPERIMENT   STATION 
OF  FLORIDA 


Nefo  fgotfc 

THE   MACMILLAN  COMPANY 
1916 

All  rights  reserved 


,  1916, 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 

Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  March,  1916. 


J  8  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.8.A. 


PREFACE 

WE  may  regard  the  successful  growth  of  the  orange 
tree  as  marking  the  outer  limit  of  the  subtropical  re- 
gions, where  frosts  are  of  short  duration  and  the  year 
is  divided  into  hot  and  cool  seasons.  The  coconut 
palm  marks  the  boundary  of  the  outer  tropical  belt, 
which  has  also  more  or  less  distinct  cool  and  hot  sea- 
sons, but  as  a  rule  no  frosts.  The  equatorial  belt,  on 
the  other  hand,  has  no  distinct  cool  season.  In  the 
subtropical  regions,  tropical  vegetables  may  be  grown 
well  in  the  hot  season,  and  temperate  vegetables,  which 
can  survive  any  slight  frosts  that  may  occur,  can  be 
very  successfully  raised  in  the  cool  season.  In  the 
outer  tropical  or  trade-wind  belts,  some  temperate  vege- 
tables can  be  grown  fairly  well  in  the  cool  season.  In 
the  subtropical  and  especially  in  the  tropical  lands,  an 
elevation  of  a  few  thousand  feet  produces  a  remarkable 
change  in  the  climate  ;  and  temperate  vegetables  can 
be  cultivated  at  such  a  height  even  in  the  equatorial 
belt,  and  still  more  successfully  towards  the  borders 
of  the  tropical  belt.  Thus  the  subtropical  regions  can 
grow  at  different  times  of  the  year  and  at  different 
heights,  nearly  all  the  vegetables  of  the  world.  Except 
in  North  India,  where  numbers  of  Europeans  have  re- 
sided for  a  long  time,  and  in  certain  subtropical  coun- 
tries like  peninsular  Florida,  it  is  probable  that  the 


407901 


vi  Preface 

growing  of  temperate  vegetables  in  the  cool  season  has 
not  been  carried  to  the  extent  to  which  it  is  capable. 
With  a  sufficient  demand,  good  crops  of  many  of  the 
improved  temperate  vegetables  can  be  raised  even  in 
the  intertropical  regions,  either  in  the  lowlands  in  the 
cool  season,  or  preferably  at  elevations  of  a  few  thou- 
sand feet. 

The  directions  in  this  book  are  based  mainly  on 
Florida  practice,  but  the  publications  of  the  United 
States  Experiment  Stations,  and  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  together  with  the  horti- 
cultural literature  of  the  tropical  countries,  have  been 
laid  under  contribution. 

The  fertilizer  formulas  given  in  the  book  are  such 
as  have  been  successful  in  certain  cases,  but  must  be 
regarded  as  tentative  only.  A  vegetable-grower,  by 
trying  different  mixtures  on  his  own  soil  and  crop,  may 
improve  the  formulas  which  the  experience  of  others 
gives  him  as  a  starting  point.  Exact  or  definite  for- 
mulas are  to  be  regarded  only  as  guides  or  suggestions, 
and  never  as  prescriptions.  There  is  so  much  yet  to 
be  done  in  the  application  of  knowledge  to  the  growing 
of  vegetables,  that  a  useful  book  on  this  subject  must 
still  consist  mainly  of  results  based  on  experience. 

Farmers'  Bulletins  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture  are  sent  free  on  application  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.C.  Other  pub- 
lications of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  for  which 
a  low  price  is  charged,  are  obtainable  from  the  Super- 
intendent of  Documents,  Government  Printing  Office, 
Washington,  D.C. 

The  Bulletins  of  the  State  Experiment  Stations  are 


Preface  vii 

sent  free    (if  not  out  of  print)  on  application  to  the 
Directors  of  the  various  Stations. 

The  Experiment  Stations  for  the  southernmost  states 
are  at  the  following  places:  Texas,  College  Station; 
Louisiana,  Baton  Rouge ;  Mississippi,  Agricultural 
College  ;  Alabama,  Auburn  ;  Florida,  Gainesville  ; 
Georgia,  Experiment ;  South  Carolina,  Clemson  College. 
The  Experiment  Stations  at  Mayaguez,  Porto  Rico, 
Santiago  de  las  Vegas,  Cuba,  and  Honolulu,  Hawaii, 
have  published  bulletins  of  special  interest. 

I  am  indebted  to  the  Florida  Experiment  Station  for 
most  of  the  illustrations  used  in  this  book.  Photo- 
graphs for  Plates  IX,  XV,  and  XVI  were  furnished  by 
Dr.  D.  G.  Fairchild,  of  the  Office  of  Seed  and  Plant 
Introduction,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

P.   H.   ROLFS. 

GAINESVILLE,  FLA., 
January  1,  1916. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

PAOK8 

SOILS  FOR  VEGETABLE-GARDENING  IN  WARM  COUNTRIES    .  1-4 

Soils  for  vegetable-gardening,  1  —  Mechanical  classifi- 
cation of  soils,  2 —  Composition  of  soils,  3  —  Elements 
necessary  for  plant  growth,  3  —  Why  land  becomes 
poor,  4. 

CHAPTER   II 
FERTILIZERS 6-23 

Complete  fertilizer,  6  —  Sources  of  nitrogen,  7  — 
Sources  of  phosphoric  acid,  8  —  Sources  of  potash,  9  — 
Percentage  of  fertilizer  elements,  10  —  Mixing  fertilizers, 
11  —  How  to  compute  the  amount  of  fertilizer  in  a  given 
formula,  12  — Table  of  fertilizers,  16  —  How  to  use  the 
table,  17— Lime,  18  —Ground  limestone,  18 — Acidity 
of  Florida  soils,  20  — How  to  test  for  soil  acidity,  20  — 
How  to  test  a  field  for  fertilizer,  21. 

CHAPTER  III 

MANURES  FOR  VEGETABLE-GARDENING  IN  WARM  COUNTRIES        24-28 
Compost,  25  —  Muck,  28. 

CHAPTER  IV 

ROTATION  OF  CROPS  IN  VEGETABLE-GARDENING  .        .        .        29-34 

Cover-crops,  or  plants  used  to  protect  and  enrich  soil, 
31  —Plants  as  a  source  of  nitrogen,  31  —  Weeds,  33. 
ix 


Contents 


CHAPTER  V 

PAGES 

WATER  AND  WATERING 35-42 

Irrigation,    36  — Overhead    irrigation,    37  — Surface 
irrigation,  39  —  Sub-irrigation,  40. 


CHAPTER  VI 

SEEDS  AND  SEED-SOWING 43-51 

How  to  test  a  machine,  43  —  Choosing  the  varieties,  44 
—  Quantity  of  seed  to  sow,  44  —  Table,  45  —  Seed-sow- 
ing, 46  — How  to  select  plants,  46  — Tropical  seeds,  60. 


CHAPTER  VII 

PLANTING 52-65 

Coldframes,  52  —  Selection  of  a  location,  52  — Con- 
struction, 52— Hotbeds,  55  —  Plant-sheds,  67  — Seed- 
beds and  plant-beds,  68  —  Preparation  of  the  land,  59  — 
Well-drained  land,  60  — Clearing  the  land,  61  —  Plow- 
ing, 61  —  Transplanting,  62  —  Number  of  plants  to  the 
acre,  65. 

CHAPTER  VIH 

PESTS  AND  DISEASES 66-77 

Poisonous  insecticides,  67  —  Paris  green,  67  —  Arsenate 
of  lead,  67  —Zinc  arsenite,  68  —  Contact  insecticides,  68 

—  Kerosene  emulsion,   68  — Whale-oil  soap  or  fish-oil 
soap,  69  —  Soda-sulfur  spray,  69  —  Tobacco-sulfur  spray, 
69  — Commercial   lime-sulfur    solution,   self -boiled,   70 

—  Bean  spray,  71  — Miscible  oils,  71  — Poison  bait,  72 

—  Gaseous  insecticides,  72  —  Bisulfide  of  carbon,  72  — 
Formalin,  72 — Fungicides,  73 — Bordeaux  mixture,  73  — 
Ammoniacal  solution  of  copper  carbonate,  76  —  Spray- 
ing machines,  75  —  Dry  materials,  76. 


Contents  xi 

CHAPTER   IX 

PAGES 

MARKETING 78-80 

The  packing-house,  78  —  Honest  packing,  80. 

CHAPTER   X 
VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  LEAVES  OR  STEMS  —  COLE  CROPS        81-98 

Cabbage,  81  —  Seed-bed,  82  —  Sowing  the  seed  of 
cabbage,  82  —  Soils  for  cabbage,  83  —  Fertilizers  for 
cabbage,  84  —  Preparing  cabbage  for  market,  85  — 
Marketing  cabbage,  85  —  Enemies  of  cabbage,  86  — 
Varieties  of  cabbage,  86  —  Bulletins,  86  —  Brussels 
sprouts,  87  —  Kale  or  borecole,  87  —  Collards,  88  — 
Cauliflower,  89  —  Sowing  seed  of  cauliflower,  90  — 
Soil  and  fertilizer  for  cauliflower,  92  —  Setting  out  the 
plants,  92  —  Cultivation  of  cauliflower,  93  —  Cutting,  93 

—  Crating  cauliflower  heads,  93  —  Seed  production,  94 

—  Varieties  of  cauliflower,  94  —  Enemies,   95  —  Books 
and  bulletins,  95  — Broccoli,  95  —  Kohlrabi,  97. 

CHAPTER   XI 

VEGETABLES   WITH    EDIBLE    LEAVES    OR    STEMS  —  OTHER 

CROPS 99-133 

Lettuce,  99  — Seed-bed  for  lettuce,  100  —  Preparing 
the  lettuce  field,  102  —  Cultivation  of  lettuce,  102  — 
Fertilizer,  102  —  Irrigation  for  lettuce,  103  —  Marketing 
lettuce,  104  — Lettuce  seed  raising,  104  —  Diseases,  105 

—  Varieties  of  lettuce,  106  —  Bulletins,  106  — Endive, 
106  — Spinach,  107  — Celery,  109  — Soil  for  celery,  109 

—  Fertilizer  for  celery,  111  —  Seed  sowing,  112  —Trans- 
planting celery,  1 13  —  Irrigation  of  celery,  116  — Pre- 
paring celery  for  market,  118  —  Diseases,  118  —  Varieties 
of  celery,  119  —  Bulletins,  119  — Chicory,  119  — Pars- 
ley,   121  — Cress,    122  — Garden    cress,    123  — Upland 
cress,  123  —  Water  cress,  123  —  Asparagus,  124  —  Prep- 


xii  Contents 


aration  of  the  asparagus  plot,  125  —  Fertilizer  for  as- 
paragus, 126  — Planting  asparagus,  127— Cutting,  127 
—  Bunching  and  crating  asparagus,  128  —  Marketing, 
128  —  Blanching,  129 — Raising  asparagus  plants,  129— 
Canning  asparagus,  130  —  Enemies,  130  —  Varieties  of 
asparagus,  131  —  Bulletins,  131  —  Globe  artichokes,  132. 


CHAPTER   XII 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  BULBS 134-150 

Onions,  134  — Soil  for  onions,  135  —  Fertilizer  for 
onions,  135  —  Time  to  sow  onion  seed,  137  —  Seed-bed 
for  onions,  137— Setting  out  onions,  138  —  Cultivation 
of  onions,  141  —  The  large-scale  method  of  onion-grow- 
ing, 142  —  Curing  the  onion  crop,  143  —  Crating  onions, 
144  — Raising  onions  from  sets,  144  —  Varieties  of 
onions,  144  —  Costs  in  onion  growing,  146  —  Bulletins, 
146  — Leek,  147  — Shallot,  146  — Chive,  149  — Garlic, 
150. 

CHAPTER  XIII 
VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  FRUITS  —  THE  CUCURBITS         .     161-177 

Cantaloupes,  151  —  Soil  and  preparation,  152  —  Fer- 
tilizer, 162  —  Planting  and  cultivating  muskmelons,  153 
—  Marketing  muskmelons,  153  — Saving  melon  seed, 
163  — Enemies,  154  —  Varieties  of  melons,  154  — Bulle- 
tins, 154  —  Watermelon,  155  —  Soil,  155  —  Fertilizer  for 
watermelons,  155  — Planting  watermelons,  156  — Culti- 
vating, 157  —  Marketing  watermelons,  158  —  Saving 
seed,  158  — Diseases  and  insects,  159  —  Varieties  of 
watermelon,  159  — Bulletins  and  papers,  160  — Cucum- 
ber, 160  —  Protecting  cucumbers  from  frost,  162  —  Soil 
and  preparation  of  the  cucumber  field,  163  —  Fertilizer 
for  cucumbers,  164 — Cultivating  cucumbers,  165  — 


Contents  xiii 


Picking  and  packing,  166  —  Saving  cucumber  seed,  167  — 
Varieties,  169  —  Squash,  169  — Choosing  the  soil  for 
squashes,  170  —  Fertilizers,  170  —  Fertilizers  for 
squashes,  171  —  Planting  squashes,  172  —  Cultivating, 
173  — Marketing,  173  — Varieties,  174  — Chayote,  174 
—  Bulletins,  176. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  FRUITS  —  SOLANACEOUS  PLANTS     177-208 

Tomato,  177  — Tomato  seed,  179  —  Seed-beds,  180  — 
Soil  for  tomatoes,  181  —  Fertilizer,  182  —  Preparing  the 
tomato  field,  182  —  Setting  out  tomato  plants,  184  — 
Cultivating,  185  —  Pruning  tomato  vines,  186  —  Staking 
tomatoes,  187  —  Trellising,  188  —  Picking  tomatoes,  188 
— Packing-house,  189  —  Sorting  tomatoes,  190  —  Summer 
and  fall  crop,  191  —  Saving  tomato  seed,  191  —  Canning, 
195 — Enemies  of  the  tomato  in  Florida,  193  — Varie- 
ties of  tomatoes,  194  — Literature,  195  —  Eggplant,  195 

—  Hotbeds  and  coldframes  for  eggplants,  196  —  Using 
flower-pots,  197  — Soil  and  preparation,  199 — Fertilizer 
for   eggplants,    199  —  Cultivation   of  eggplants,   200  — 
Gathering  eggplants,  201  —  Marketing,  201  —  Seed  sav- 
ing, 201  —  Varieties  of  eggplants,  203  —  Pepper,  204  — 
Hotbeds  and  coldframes  for  peppers,  205  — Soil  and 
preparation  for  peppers,  206  —  Fertilizer  for  peppers,  207 

—  Cultivation  of  peppers,  207  —  Marketing,  207  — Sav- 
ing seed,  208 — Varieties  of  peppers,  208. 


CHAPTER  XV 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  FRUITS  — OTHER  CROPS    .         .    209-221 

Roselle,  209  —  Propagation,  210  —  Cultivation  of 
roselle,  211  —  Gathering,  212  —  Shipping  roselle,  212  — 
Productivity,  213  —  Uses  of  roselle,  213  —  Diseases,  214 


xiv  Contents 

PAGES 

—  Varieties  of  roselle,  214  —  Bulletin,  214 — Okra,  216— 
Bulletin,   216  — Plantain,  216  — Papaya,  217  — Bread- 
fruit, 220. 

CHAPTER  XVI 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  SEEDS 222-243 

Peas,  222  —  Soil  and  cultivation,  223  —  Fertilizer  for 
peas,  223  —  Varieties  of  peas,  224  — Beans,  225  — Bush 
beans,  226  — Soil  for  bush  beans,  226  —  Fertilizer,  226 

—  Planting  and  cultivating  bush  beans,  227  —  Preparing 
bush  beans  for  market,  228  —  Harvesting  bush  beans, 
229  — Varieties  of  bush  beans,  230  — Pole  beans,  230  — 
Varieties  of  pole  beans,  231  —  Lima  beans,  232  —  Cul- 
ture, 232  —  Varieties  of  lima  beans,  232  —  Runner  beans, 
232  — Varieties,  233  —  Enemies  of  beans  in  general,  233 

—  Bulletins,  233  — Broad  bean,  234  — Cowpea,  235  — 
Bulletin,  235  — Peanut,  236  — Soil  and  preparation,  236 

—  Fertilizer,  237— Planting  peanuts,  237  —  Cultivation 
of  peanuts,  239  —  Harvesting  peanuts,  240  —  Varieties 
of  peanuts,  242  —  Bulletins,  242  —  Goober,  242  —  Sweet 
corn,  242. 

CHAPTER  XVII 
VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  TUBERS  OR  ROOTS     .         .         .     244-285 

Irish  potato,  244  —  Soil  and  preparation,  245 — Fer- 
tilizer for  potatoes,  246  —  Seed  potatoes,  247  —  Planting 
potatoes,  248  —  Cultivation  of  potatoes,  249  —  Harvest- 
ing, 250  —  Storing  potatoes,  251 — Varieties  of  potatoes, 
262— Second  crop  of  potatoes,  262  — Diseases  of  pota- 
toes, 253—  Bulletins,  253  —  Sweet  potato,  254—  Soil  for 
the  sweet  potato,  254  —  Fertilizer,  255  —  Propagation  of 
the  sweet  potato,  255  —  Preparation  of  the  land  for  sweet 
potato,  and  transplanting,  256  —  Cultivation,  257  — 
Storing,  258  —  Marketing,  259  — Uses,  259  —  Enemies, 
269 — Varieties  of  sweet  potatoes,  260  —  Bulletins,  260  — 


Contents  xv 


Jerusalem  artichoke,  261  —  Yam,  262  —  Radish,  264  — 
Soil  and  preparation,  264  —  Fertilizer  for  radishes,  265 

—  Sowing  and  cultivation,  265  —  Marketing  radishes,  266 

—  Seed  raising,  267  —  Varieties  of  radishes,  267  —  Com- 
parison of  varieties  of  radish  grown  in  the  open  garden, 
268  — Turnip,  268  — Soil  and  preparation,  269  — Plant- 
ing and  cultivating,  269  — Marketing,  270  — Varieties  of 
turnip,   270  —  Rutabaga,    270  — Beet,    271  —  Soil   and 
preparation,  271  —  Fertilizer  for  beets,  272  —  Seeding 
and  cultivating  beets,  272  —  Marketing,  273  —  Varieties 
of  beets,  274  —  Carrot,  274  —  Soil  and  preparation,  275  — 
Fertilizer  for  carrots,  275  —  Sowing  and  cultivation  of 
carrots,   276  —  Marketing,    276  —  Varieties  of  carrots, 
276  —  Parsnip,  277  — Soil  and  preparation,  277  —  Fer- 
tilizer for  parsnips,  277  — Sowing  and  cultivating  pars- 
nips, 278  —  Varieties,  278  — Salsify  or  oyster  plant,  279 

—  Dasheen  or  Taro,  279  —  Uses  of  dasheen,  281  —  Bulle- 
tins, 281— Tanier,  281  —  Bulletin,  282  —  Horse-radish, 
283  — Cassava,  283  — Bulletins,  285  — Lleren,  285. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

OTHEB  VEGETABLES;   PLANTING-LIST 286-300 

Chenopodium  quinoa,  266 —  Ullucus  tuberosus,  286 
—  Arracacia  Xanthorrhiza,  287  —  Yam-bean  (Pachy- 
rhizus  erosus,  and  P.  tuberosus),  287  — Goa  bean 
(Psophocarpus  tetragonolobus) ,  288  —  New  Zealand 
spinach  (Tetragonia  expansa),  288  —  Basella  (Basella 
rubra),  288  —  Edible  jute  (Corchorus  olitorius  var. 
edulis),  288  — Edible  amaranth  (Amaranthus oleraceus, 
A.  gangeticus,  and  A.  viridis) ,  289  —  Para  cress  ( Spi- 
lanthes  oleracea),  289  —  Pigeon  pea  (Cajanus  indicus), 
289  —  Sword  bean  and  Jack  bean  (Canavalia),  290  — 
Chinese  cabbage  (Brassica  Pe-tsai),  290  — Chinese 
mustard  (Brassica  jwncea),  290  —  Roquette  (Eruca 


Contents 


sativa),  290— West  India  cucumber  (  Cucumis  Anguria) , 

291  — Ginger   (Zingiber    officinale],   291  —  Dandelion 
(Taraxacum  officinale),  291  —  Asparagus  bean   (Doli- 
chos    sesquipedalis) ,    291  —  Hyacinth    bean    (Dolichos 
Lablab),  292  — Snake  gourd  (Trichosanthes  Anguina), 

292  —  Tree    tomato    (Cyphomandra    betacea),    292  — 
Chard  (Beta  vulgaris  var.),  292  —  Pepino   (Solanum 
muricatum),  293— Wax  gourd,  293  —  Planting-list  of 
vegetables  by  months,  296. 

INDEX    .  .     301-309 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PLATB  PAGE 

I.     IKKIGATION Opposite      36 

Top,  wooden  sluice  for  conducting  water  to  cucum- 
bers and  other  crops,  with  V-shaped  troughs  to  carry 
the  water  and  also  to  be  used  to  protect  plants  from 
frost;  bottom,  sub-irrigation  of  celery  field,  showing 


II.     LETTUCE Opposite      99 

Top,  lettuce  grown  on  a  city  lot ;  bottom,  a  com- 
mercial lettuce  field  in  Florida. 

III.  THEEE  GOOD  TYPES  OF  LETTUCE        .         .         .     Opposite     105 

Left,  Hanson  ;  right,  Big  Boston  ;  top,  Black-seeded 
Butter. 

IV.  CELERY Opposite    109 

Top,  largest  one  well  rooted  and  ready  for  trans- 
planting ;  center,  market  celery  packed  in  a  crate  ; 
bottom,  celery  packing  in  field. 

V.     PLANT  BEDS Opposite    112 

Above,  a  seed-bed  for  starting  celery  plants,  with 
cheesecloth  covering  ;  old  fertilizer  bags  qn  fence  were 
used  over  the  beds  to  sprout  the  seeds.  Below,  a  can- 
vas-covered bed  in  which  a  cucumber  crop  is  grown. 

VI.     CELERY Opposite     115 

Top   left,   well-grown  celery  plants  (Golden    Self- 
blanching)  ;  top  right,  foot-press  for  packing  celery  ; 
bottom,  blanching  celery  by  means  of  boards, 
xvii 


xviii  Illustrations 

PLATE  PAGE 

VII.     ONIONS,   RED  BERMUDA   (left)   AND  CREOLE.     ALSO  A 

HAMPER  OF  LETTUCE Opposite    134 

Vin.     MELONS Opposite    161 

Top,  Rocky  Ford  muskmelon ;  bottom,  field  marked 
off  for  muskmelons. 

IX.     TWELVE  VARIETIES  OF  CHATOTE  (Sechium  edule).     ONE- 
THIRD  NATURAL  SIZE Opposite    174 

X.     EGGPLANTS  AND  PEPPERS         ....    Opposite    195 

Top,  eggplant  plantation ;  center  left,  white  egg- 
plant ;  center  right,  eggplant  ready  for  transplanting 
to  the  field  •  bottom,  peppers  in  the  field. 

XI.     CUCUMBER  HAMPERS  ;  AND  A  PLANT  OF  ROSELLE  (Victor 

variety) Opposite    209 

XII.     POTATOES  AND  TOMATOES         ....    Opposite    244 
Irish  potato  field  above  ;  tomatoes  properly  staked. 

XIII.  LETTUCE  AND  SWEET  POTATOES         .         .         .    Opposite    257 

Top,  Big  Boston  head  lettuce,  in  longitudinal  sec- 
tion ;  bottom,  using  disc  cultivator  in  sweet  potatoes. 

XIV.  ROOT  VEGETABLES Opposite    264 

Left  top,  French  Breakfast  radish  ;  right  top,  Long 
Scarlet  radish ;  left  bottom,  Rose  Turnip  radish ; 
right  bottom,  Chantenay  carrot. 

XV.     A  FIELD  OF  DASHEEN  OR  TARO  AS  GROWN  IN  FLORIDA 

Opposite    279 

XVI.     TUBERS  OF  DASHEEN Opposite    281 

About  natural  size.  These  tubers  weigh  four  or  five 
ounces. 


SUBTROPICAL  VEGETABLE-GARDENING 


SUBTROPICAL  VEGETABLE- 
GARDENING 

CHAPTER  I 

SOILS  FOR  VEGETABLE-GARDENING  IN  WARM 
COUNTRIES 

THE  earthy  matter  in  which  plants  grow  is  commonly 
known  as  soil;  it  is  finely  pulverized  rock  intermixed 
with  more  or  less  organic  matter.  The  thin  upper  stratum 
in  which  plants  grow  is  all  that  we  are  interested  in  for 
the  present.  The  dark  color  in  this  stratum  is  due  to  the 
partial  oxidation  of  the  vegetable  matter  here  present. 
The  oxygen  is  mainly  derived  from  the  air.  The  part 
that  is  dark  is  usually  called  the  soil,  and  that  immediately 
below  has  been  designated  the  subsoil.  The  soil  is  usually 
more  fertile  than  the  subsoil,  especially  in  the  South.  In 
some  of  the  alluvial  bottoms,  the  soil  is  of  the  same  con- 
sistency for  a  considerable  depth. 

The  black  vegetable  mold  in  the  soil,  which  we  commonly 
call  humus,  is  an  important  factor.  In  it  is  contained  the 
mineral  matter  once  extracted  from  the  soil  by  the  plants 
whose  rotting  produced  the  humus,  in  a  good  condition 
to  be  taken  up  again  by  other  plants.  Besides  containing 
food  for  plants,  it  keeps  the  soil  in  good  condition  for 
B  1 


2  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

plant  growth.  A  sandy  soil,  rich  in  humus,  can  withstand 
a  drought  better  than  one  in  which  the  humus  is  want- 
ing; but  unless  there  is  a  more  or  less  compact  stratum 
of  subsoil  below  such  a  sandy  soil,  much  of  the  fertilizer 
will  be  carried  off  by  frequent  rains,  and  the  land 
will  be  poor.  The  rotting  of  vegetable  matter  is  due  to 
friendly  bacteria  and  fungi  in  the  soil.  If  there  are  few 
of  these  in  the  soil,  any  vegetable  or  animal  substance 
would  be  of  little  use  to  ordinary  plants.  The  bacteria, 
as  it  were,  pre-digest  it.  Hence  one  must  take  care  of 
these  bacteria  and  not  let  the  soil  be  too  wet,  too  close, 
or  too  acid  for  them  to  multiply. 

MECHANICAL  CLASSIFICATION  OF  SOILS 

Owing  to  the  large  percentage  of  sand  in  many  soils  and 
its  presence  in  all  soils,  it  has  been  suggested  that  they 
should  be  classified  according  to  the  amount  they  contain. 
Under  this  classification  there  are  the  following  divisions : 

1.  Clay;    from  which  no  sand  can  be  removed    by 
washing. 

2.  Strong  clay ;    from  which  as  much  as  5  to  20  per 
cent  of  sand  can  be  separated. 

3.  Clay  loam ;  when  washing  will  remove  20  to  40  per 
cent  of  sand. 

4.  Loam ;  when  the  land  contains  as  much  as  40  to  70 
per  cent  of  sand. 

5.  Sandy  loam ;  from  which  70  to  90  per  cent  of  sand 
can  be  separated. 

6.  Light  sand;    containing  more  than  90  per  cent  of 
sand. 


Soils  for  Vegetable-Gardening  in  Warm  Countries     3 

When  soil  contains  an  easily  perceptible  amount  of 
carbonate  of  lime,  it  is  said  to  be  calcareous  or  marly. 

When  a  very  large  percentage  of  vegetable  matter  is 
present,  the  soil  is  usually  called  muck  or  vegetable  mold. 

COMPOSITION  OF  SOILS 

Soils  that  are  in  good  condition  for  raising  crops  are  made 
up  of  about  fourteen  elements.  There  are  more  elements 
that  may  occur  in  soils;  but  as  only  about  thirteen  of 
these  are  actually  used  by  plants,  we  need  not  regard  the 
others,  with  the  exception  of  aluminium,  which,  although 
not  a  plant-food,  yet  is  the  chief  constituent  of  all  clays. 

Elements  necessary  for  plant  growth. 

The  essential  elements  for  plant  growth  are  oxygen, 
hydrogen,  nitrogen,  carbon,  sulfur,  phosphorus,  potassium, 
calcium,  magnesium,  and  iron,  together  with  sodium, 
silicon,  and  chlorin.  Oxygen,  hydrogen,  and  carbon  are 
mainly,  and  nitrogen  partly,  derived  from  the  air.  They 
constitute  95  to  99  per  cent  of  the  weight  of  plants. 
While  these  four  elements  are  derived  from  the  air,  it 
should  not  be  understood  that  they  are  usually  taken 
directly  from  it  by  the  plant,  nor  do  they  usually  enter 
the  plant  in  the  condition  of  a  simple  element.  All  parts 
of  plants,  however,  take  oxygen  from  the  air  as  they  re- 
spire, and  some  plants,  belonging  to  the  pea  family,  are 
able,  under  certain  conditions,  to  assimilate  more  or  less 
nitrogen  indirectly  from  the  air.  Because  the  above- 
named  four  elements  make  up  so  much  of  the  weight  of 
plants,  it  should  not  be  inferred  that  the  other  nine  ele- 


4  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

ments  that  are  derived  from  the  soil  are  of  only  minor  im- 
portance. Although  their  combined  weight  is  only 
from  1  to  5  per  cent  of  the  plant,  the  absence  of  any  of 
these  may  materially  interfere  with  its  growth.  Most 
vegetables  get  all  their  carbon  from  the  air,  and  they  can 
only  get  it  in  the  light.  They  take  in  most  of  the  other 
elements  along  with  water  by  their  roots,  and  they  can 
only  continue  to  do  this  when  water  is  evaporating  out 
from  their  leaves.  Hence  it  is  seen  why  they  must  have 
enough  sunlight. 


WHY  LAND  BECOMES  POOR 

It  will  be  clear  from  what  has  been  said  that  if  crops  are 
repeatedly  removed  from  the  land,  some  element  or  ele- 
ments will  be  depleted  or  exhausted,  or,  as  is  ordinarily 
said,  the  land  becomes  poor. 

Different  crops  do  not  remove  an  equal  amount  of  the 
different  elements,  and  even  different  individual  plants 
of  the  same  crop  vary  considerably  in  the  amount  of  any 
one  element  that  they  take  from  the  soil.  Some  crops 
take  much  nitrogen  from  the  soil  and  return  only  a  part 
of  it  when  their  roots  and  fallen  leaves  decay ;  others  take 
only  a  small  amount  of  nitrogen  from  the  soil  and  give 
much  back;  the  former  make  the  land  poorer,  while  the 
latter  make  it  richer  in  nitrogen.  When  a  piece  of  land 
is  "  tired  "  of  one  crop,  it  is  often  able  to  produce  some  other 
crop  in  fair  quantity.  To  keep  soil  in  such  condition  that 
it  will  produce  a  crop  in  paying  quantities,  we  must  main- 
tain the  necessary  elements  in  sufficient  quantity;  we 
must  fertilize. 


CHAPTER  II 
FERTILIZERS 

THIRTEEN  of  the  eighty  and  more  elements  now  recog- 
nized by  chemists  are  more  or  less  directly  concerned  in 
the  growth  of  agricultural  plants. 

Of  the  thirteen  elements,  silicon,  chlorin,  and  sodium  are 
perhaps  not  essential,  and  are  nearly  always  abundant 
enough.  Oxygen  and  hydrogen  are  the  elements  of 
water.  Carbon  is  derived  directly  from  the  air.  Sulfur, 
calcium,  magnesium,  and  iron  are  contained  in  most 
soils  in  fair  amounts.  Only  nitrogen,  phosphorus,  and 
potassium  often  become  scarce,  and  the  plant  must  have 
these  three.  They  play  such  an  important  part  in  the 
plant  economy,  and  are  present  in  such  varying  quanti- 
ties, and  so  often  one  or  more  of  them  is  insufficient  in 
amount,  that  one  looks  upon  them  as  the  essential  ele- 
ments ;  though  they  are  not  more  necessary  to  the  plant's 
welfare  than  some  other  elements.  A  deficiency  of  any 
one  will  cause  the  plants  to  look  sickly,  and  make 
them  fit  subjects  for  insect  and  fungous  attacks,  to  which 
they  then  readily  succumb.  If  a  field  has  been  producing 
good  crops  for  a  number  of  years  and  then  gradually 
fails  without  visible  cause,  it  is  a  fair  indication  that 
some  form  of  food  for  that  crop  is  becoming  exhausted,  and 


6  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

one  must  either  stop  growing  that  crop  on  that  particular 
soil,  or  in  some  way  supply  the  wanting  plant-foods. 
This  is  accomplished  by  using  either  home-made  or  com- 
mercial fertilizers.  It  must  not  be  thought,  however, 
that  plants  can  use  up  all  the  mineral  food  in  the  soil. 
They  can  take  only  the  soluble  minerals,  and  those  that 
happen  to  come  their  way.  By  resting  the  land,  more  of 
the  mineral  food  becomes  soluble.  The  good  effects 
of  fertilizers  are  due  mainly  to  their  being  soluble  plant- 
food,  and  to  their  being  put  where  the  plant  can  get  them. 
Any  substance  that  will  supply  the  deficient  element  or 
elements  to  the  soil,  in  such  a  form  as  to  be  available  to 
the  crop,  is  considered  a  fertilizer.  It  is  not  uncommon 
to  find  an  element  present  in  the  soil  in  sufficient  quantity, 
but  in  such  form  that  the  crop  cannot  make  use  of  it; 
in  other  words,  the  element  is  not  available. 

COMPLETE   FERTILIZER 

A  fertilizer  that  contains  all  three  elements,  nitrogen 
(as  organic  nitrogen,  nitrate,  or  ammonia),  phosphorus  (as 
phosphoric  acid),  and  potassium  (as  potash),  is  said  to 
be  complete.  The  amounts  of  the  elements  vary  with  the 
different  brands  of  fertilizer,  and  should  be  suited  to  dif- 
ferent crops  and  the  different  soils  for  which  they  are  to 
be  used.  The  amount  of  an  element  in  a  special  fertilizer 
is  governed  largely  by  the  amount  of  that  element  removed 
from  the  soil  by  any  particular  crop. 

An  incomplete  fertilizer  is  one  which  is  wanting  in  any 
one  or  more  of  the  three  fertilizing  elements.  These  are 
known  either  by  their  chemical  name,  as  acid  phosphate, 


Fertilizers  7 

muriate  of  potash,  nitrate  of  soda ;  or  by  some  trade  name, 
as  kainit,  blood  and  bone,  guano. 

The  fertilizer  formulae  employed  in  this  book  should  not 
be  regarded  as  the  best  under  all  varying  soil  conditions. 
They  are  suggestive  of  what  will  probably  prove  advan- 
tageous under  average  or  normal  conditions  in  a  sandy  soil. 
Experience  with  any  particular  field  or  region  will  soon  in- 
dicate what  changes  should  be  made  in  a  formula  for  a  par- 
ticular crop.  Generally  speaking,  starch-producing  crops, 
such  as  Irish  potatoes  and  sweet  potatoes,  will  be  bene- 
fited by  a  large  quantity  of  potash. 

SOURCES  OF  NITROGEN 

In  its  natural  state,  nitrogen  occurs  as  an  atmospheric 
gas,  and  as  such  it  is  not  available  as  a  fertilizer.  When 
the  amount  of  nitrogen  is  mentioned  in  speaking  of  a 
fertilizer,  one  simply  means  that  it  is  in  some  combination 
with  other  elements  that  hold  it  in  the  form  of  a  solid. 

The  different  forms  in  which  nitrogen  occurs  as  a  ferti- 
lizer are :  first,  as  organic  matter,  either  vegetable  or  ani- 
mal, for  example,  cottonseed  meal,  fish  scrap,  dried  blood, 
tankage ;  second,  as  nitrate,  in  nitrate  of  soda,  or  nitrate 
of  potash ;  third,  in  the  form  of  ammonia  compounds,  as 
sulfate  of  ammonia.  In  the  guarantees  or  analyses  of 
fertilizers,  when  the  amount  of  nitrogen  is  given,  it  is  in- 
tended to  imply  how  much  of  it  would  be  present  if  it  were 
in  the  form  of  a  gas.  Sometimes  the  amount  of  nitrogen 
in  a  fertilizer  is  expressed  as  ammonia,  when  it  is  really 
nitrate  or  organic  matter.  It  is  calculated  in  this  way  for 
ease  in  comparison.  This  is  the  method  used  in  Florida. 


8  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Nitrogen  (or  ammonia)  is  the  most  expensive  fertilizer, 
the  one  which  is  most  easily  lost  by  leaching,  and  also  the 
one  an  excess  or  deficiency  of  which  may  have  the  most 
prejudicial  effect  on  a  crop.  Hence,  it  behooves  the  user 
to  be  especially  careful  with  his  nitrogenous  fertilizers. 
The  cheapest  way  to  secure  nitrogen  (or  ammonia)  is  to 
get  it  free  from  the  air  by  growing  velvet  beans  or  other 
legumes. 

SOURCES  OF  PHOSPHORIC  ACID 

A  source  of  phosphoric  acid  of  great  commercial  impor- 
tance is  the  phosphate  rock  of  Florida  and  South  Carolina. 
This  rock  contains  a  varying  quantity  of  phosphoric  acid, 
therefore  it  is  necessary  to  make  an  analysis  of  it  before 
one  can  know  its  value.  The  natural  rock  becomes  soluble 
only  slowly  in  the  soil,  so  it  is  customary  to  grind  it  and 
treat  with  sulf  uric  acid  to  make  the  phosphoric  acid  readily 
soluble  and  available  to  plants.  In  this  condition  it  is 
known  as  "acid  phosphate,"  or  "superphosphate."  It 
has  been  found  of  advantage,  in  some  soils,  to  use  the 
natural  rock,  finely  ground;  this  is  called  "floats." 

In  the  manufacture  of  steel,  the  phosphorus  of  the 
molten  iron  is  oxidized  and  absorbed  by  lime.  The  re- 
sulting slag,  called  "Thomas  slag,"  contains  phosphoric 
acid  and  much  lime.  It  is  not  acid  but  basic,  and  so  is 
suitable  for  acid  soils,  when  finely  ground. 

Another  source  of  commercial  importance  was  phos- 
phate from  the  bones  of  various  animals.  Before  the  dis- 
covery of  phosphate  rock,  this  was  a  very  important 
source ;  and  while  the  price  of  ground  bone  for  fertilizer 
has  not  declined  much  as  a  result  of  the  discovery  of  rock 


Fertilizers  9 

phosphate,  yet  it  has  not  increased  as  it  otherwise  would 
have.  In  their  natural  state,  bones  yield  phosphoric  acid 
to  plants  rather  slowly ;  but,  being  crushed  and  treated 
with  sulf  uric  acid,  the  phosphoric  acid  is  made  soluble  and 
so  becomes  available  at  once  or  in  a  short  time.  But 
little  bone,  however,  is  now  treated  with  acid,  and  "dis- 
solved bone"  has  become  a  trade  name  for  acid  phosphate 
made  from  rock. 

The  packing-houses  and  slaughter-houses  collect  the 
bones  and  harder  part  of  refuse  to  grind  up  for  fertilizer. 
Blood  and  bone  is  a  trade  name  given  to  refuse  from 
slaughtering  establishments ;  its  composition  is  rather  in- 
definite. The  bones  and  refuse  of  fish  in  large  fisheries, 
also  the  carcasses  of  worthless  fish,  are  used  as  a  supply 
of  this  important  element  of  plant-food,  as  well  as  nitrogen, 
under  the  name  of  "  fish  scrap." 

SOURCES  OF  POTASH 

In  nature,  soluble  potash  usually  occurs  as  a  chloride 
(muriate),  a  sulf  ate,  or  a  carbonate.  It  is  also  found  as 
an  insoluble  silicate  in  many  rocks.  It  is  very  widely 
distributed,  occurring  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  is  one 
of  the  fertilizer  ingredients  that  are  left  after  plants  are 
burned ;  in  other  words,  it  is  one  of  the  principal  constitu- 
ents of  the  ash  of  plants.  Besides  this  general  distribu- 
tion, it  also  occurs  in  large  bodies  in  a  very  few  parts  of 
the  earth.  The  largest  and  most  important  of  these  is 
located  in  Stassfurt,  Germany,  where  it  is  mined,  much  as 
salt  is  in  other  parts  of  Europe.  In  this  place  it  occurs 
mainly  as  sulfate  mixed  with  common  salt  and  other  sub- 


10 


Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


stances,  and  is  imported  to  this  country  under  the  name  of 
kainit.  When  refined,  it  is  sold  on  our  market  as  muriate 
of  potash  or  sulfate  of  potash,  as  the  case  may  be. 


PERCENTAGE  OF  FERTILIZER  ELEMENTS 

Table  showing   the    approximate  amounts    of   different    fertilizer 
elements  in  various  substances  used  in  growing  vegetables 


MATERIALS  USED  FOR 
NITROGEN 

NITROOEN 
PER  CENT 

AMMONIA 
EQUIVALENT 
PER  CENT 

§1 

d 

P 

AVAILABLE 
PHOSPHORIC  ACID 
PER  CENT 

INSOLUBLE 
PHOSPHORIC  ACID 
PER  CENT 

Cottonseed  meal  .     .     . 

6-7 

7-8 

i 

2 

Cyanamid        .... 

10-16 

12-20 

Dried  blood      .     .     .     . 

10-15 

12-18 

Dried  fish  scraps  .     .     . 

7-8 

8-10 

6-8 

Guano     

7-8 

8-10 

2-4 

5-8 

Muck,  good     .... 

1-3 

1-4 

Nitrate  of  lime     .     .     . 

12-14 

15-17 

Nitrate  of  soda     .     .     . 

15-16 

15-20 

Tankage      

5 

6* 

2-5 

4-7 

Tobacco  stems      .    .     . 

2-3 

3-4 

5-8 

1 

Sulfate  of  ammonia  .     . 

19-22 

23-26 

MATERIALS  USED  FOR 
POTASH 

Cottonseed  hull  ashes 

15-25 

6-8 

Kainit     

10-16 

Muriate  of  potash  (80 

to  85  per  cent)       .     . 

48-50 

Nitrate  of  potash      .     . 

13-14 

16-18 

43^4 

2 

Fertilizers 


11 


MATERIALS  USED  TOR 
POTASH 

NITROGEN 
PER  CENT 

AMMONIA 

EQUIVALENT 
PER  CENT 

POTASH,  KzO 
PER  CENT 

AVAILABLE 
PHOSPHORIC  ACID 
PER  CENT 

INSOLUBLE 
PHOSPHORIC  ACID 
PER  CENT 

Saw  palmetto  ashes  (un- 

leached)        .... 

1-6 

Sulfate  of  potash  (high 

grade)       

48-51 

Sulfate   of  potash   and 

magnesia      .... 

26-28 

Tobacco  stems      .     .     . 

2-3 

3-4 

Hi 

Wood  ashes  (leached)    . 

1-3 

Wood  ashes  (unleached) 

4-8 

MATERIALS  USED  FOR 

PHOSPHORIC  ACID 

Acid  phosphate    .    .    . 

10-16 

1-3 

Bone-meal        .... 

3-4 

4-8 

16-17 

Florida  hard  rock      .     . 

25-35 

Florida  soft  phosphate 

10-35 

Guano     

7-8 

8-10 

2-4 

5-8 

South     Carolina    phos- 

phate         

25-30 

Tankage      

5 

61 

2-5 

4-7 

Thomas  phosphate  (basic 

slag)    . 

18-29 

MIXING   FERTILIZERS 


Several  fertilizer  houses  in  Florida  will  mix  and  bag  any 
formula  which  a  grower  may  desire,  at  a  cost  of  $1.50  a  ton 
more  than  the  value  of  the  materials.  This  is  in  excess  of 
what  it  would  cost  the  grower  to  do  the  mixing  at  home. 


12  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Some  combinations,  however,  cake,  and  require  regrinding, 
and  for  such  it  would  be  cheaper  to  have  the  work  done  at 
the  factory.  Some  vegetable-growers  do  not  have  a  suit- 
able floor,  or  a  plasterer's  sieve,  and  scales  at  hand.  For 
any  who  should  wish  to  mix  their  own  fertilizers,  and  for 
those  who  wish  to  have  special  combinations  prepared, 
the  formulas  given  in  this  book  are  followed  by  a  list  of 
quantities  of  fertilizing  materials. 

A  method  which  has  been  successfully  practiced  for 
the  home  mixing  of  fertilizers,  was  to  spread  the  weighed 
and  screened  materials  on  the  barn  floor,  in  layers  one 
above  the  other,  the  bulkiest  at  the  bottom.  The  pile 
was  mixed  by  shoveling  together  four  tunes,  and  then 
bagged.  Analysis  showed  that  the  mixing  was  perfect. 
It  is  well  not  to  mix  lime  (or  Thomas  slag  which  contains 
lime)  with  other  fertilizers;  for  by  so  doing  ammonia 
may  be  lost,  and  phosphoric  acid  made  unavailable,  or  the 
mixture  may  set  hard. 


HOW  TO  COMPUTE  THE  AMOUNT  OF  FERTILIZER  IN  A  GIVEN 
FORMULA 

It  is  important  that  one  should  be  able  to  compute  the 
amount  of  any  essential  fertilizer  element  contained  in  a 
certain  formula.  Unless  one  is  able  to  find  this  out,  one 
cannot  make  an  intelligent  use  of  the  substance.  Very 
often  a  high-grade  and  a  low-grade  fertilizer  can  be  pur- 
chased on  the  same  market :  then  it  is  important  that  the 
relative  values  of  these  should  be  secured  in  order  that 
one  may  buy  intelligently.  It  does  not  concern  us  further 
than  the  difference  in  handling,  whether  it  is  necessary  to 


Fertilizers  13 

use  a  half  ton  or  a  ton  of  fertilizer  to  get  the  requisite 
amount  of  an  essential  element ;  therefore,  if  one  cannot  get 
the  requisite  amount  of  a  certain  element  in  low-grade  fer- 
tilizer for  enough  less  to  pay  for  its  handling  and  something 
over,  it  would  be  better  to  buy  the  high-grade  fertilizer. 

In  Florida  and  in  most  other  states  of  the  Union,  the 
state  chemist  publishes  every  year  the  approximate 
values  of  20  pounds  of  nitrogen  (or  ammonia),  20  pounds  of 
available  phosphoric  acid,  and  20  pounds  of  potash,  at 
one  or  more  of  the  principal  towns  of  the  state.  Thus  the 
Florida  state  valuations  for  1909  were :  20  pounds  of 
nitrogen  are  worth  $4.01 ;  20  pounds  of  potash  are  worth 
$1.10;  20  pounds  of  available  phosphoric  acid  are  worth 
$1.00  —  at  the  sea-ports.  Twenty  pounds  is  of  course  one 
hundredth,  or  1  per  cent  of  a  ton,  and  is  taken  as  a  unit. 
Hence  if  one  has  a  fertilizer  containing  6  per  cent  nitrogen, 
10  per  cent  available  phosphoric  acid,  and  8  per  cent 
potash,  the  value  of  a  ton  is  readily  calculated. 

Nitrogen  =  $4.01  X    6  =  $24.06 

Phosphoric  acid  =    1.00  X  10  =    10.00 
Potash  =    1.10  X    8  =      8.80 

Mixing  and  bagging  1.50 

Total  $44.36 

If  a  second  fertilizer  contains  4  per  cent  of  nitrogen, 
6  per  cent  of  available  phosphoric  acid,  and  6  per  cent  of 
potash,  it  will  be  worth  a  ton : 

Nitrogen $16.04 

Phosphoric  acid 6.00 

Potash 6.60 

Mixing  and  bagging 1.50 

Total                                            .  $30.14 


14 


Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


Thus  the  former  fertilizer  is  worth  $14.22  a  ton  more 
than  the  latter.  Even  if  the  latter  fertilizer  were  offered 
at  $28.00  at  the  depot  at  Jacksonville,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  decide  whether  one  would  make  anything  by  buying 
cheaper  and  having  the  extra  hauling  and  handling  of  so 
much  more  useless  material. 

The  Report  of  the  State  Chemist  of  Florida  for  January, 
1909,  contains  the  following  comparison  of  high-grade 
and  low-grade  fertilizers,  which  shows  clearly  how  much 
money  has  been  lost  by  purchasing  the  low-grade  fer- 
tilizers : 

"  I  again  earnestly  recommend  the  use  of  the  high-grade 
mixed  goods  as  the  most  economical,  and  again  quote 
statements  made  in  former  reports  as  follows :  The 
composition,  selling  price,  and  valuation  of  the  average 
brand  of  each  group  appear  below : 


NITROGEN 

AVAILABLE 
PHOS- 
PHORIC 
ACID 

POTASH 

TOTAL 
PLANT- 
FOOD 

AVERAGE 
SELLING 
PRICE 

AVERAGE 
STATE 
VALUA- 
TION 

Low  Grade 

1.13 

8.28 

2.50 

11.9 

$24.50 

$16.85 

Medium  Grade 

2.32 

8.72 

3.66 

14.4 

30.00 

24.84 

High  Grade     . 

4.00 

7.00 

10.00 

21.0 

36.50 

32.70 

"  It  will  be  noticed  how  rapidly  the  relative  selling  price 
above  state  values  decreases  from  the  low-grade  to  the 
high-grade  goods. 


Low  grade  costs  above  state  values 
Medium  grade  costs  above  state  values 
High  grade  costs  above  state  values 


$7.65 
5.16 
3.80 


Fertilizers  15 

Again  the  percentage  of  cost  above  state  values  is  as  fol- 
lows, practically : 

Low  grade 45  per  cent 

Medium  grade 20  per  cent 

High  grade 11  per  cent 

I  have  urged  in  previous  reports  the  economy  of  the  high- 
grade  materials,  and  again  call  attention  to  the  poor 
economy  of  buying  fertilizer  by  the  ton  'because  it  is 
cheap,'  when  in  fact  the  'cheap'  fertilizers  are  the  more 
expensive  in  first  cost,  and  more  costly  to  handle  (value 
considered)  than  the  higher  grade,  concentrated  goods." 

Analyses  of  commercial  fertilizers  everywhere  show  that 
in  many  cases  the  higher  grade  fertilizer  is  the  cheaper  to 
buy,  the  higher  price  for  a  ton  only  meaning  that  there  is 
less  worthless  material  in  it.  Some  vegetable-growers 
prefer  to  calculate  the  value  of  their  mixed  fertilizers  by 
the  price  for  a  pound  of  the  three  plant-food  ingredients. 
The  State  Chemist  of  Florida  gives  the  following  values 
for  1909 : 

Ammonia       16|ff  a  pound 

Available  phosphoric  acid 5  £  a  pound 

Potash       5^jf  a  pound 

Taking  a  formula  recommended  for  vegetables  in 
Florida,  3|  per  cent  ammonia,  1\  per  cent  potash,  6|  per 
cent  available  phosphoric  acid,  let  us  calculate  the  value  a 
ton.  Here  3^  per  cent  is  70  pounds  of  ammonia,  costing 
$11.55 ;  7|  per  cent  is  150  pounds  of  potash,  costing  $8.25 ; 
6|  per  cent  is  130  pounds  of  phosphoric  acid,  costing  $6.50. 
Therefore,  a  ton  would  contain  350  pounds  of  plant-food, 
and  would  be  worth,  mixed  and  bagged,  $27.80. 


16 


Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


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Fertilizers  17 


HOW  TO   USE  THE  TABLE 

This  table  enables  one  to  ascertain  the  amount  of 
different  ingredients  that  may  be  used  in  compounding 
any  normal  formula.  To  secure  the  amount  of  plant- 
food  contained  in  a  formula  giving  5  per  cent  ammonia, 
6  per  cent  potash,  and  6  per  cent  phosphoric  acid,  it  will 
require  550  pounds  nitrate  of  soda,  252  pounds  muriate 
of  potash,  and  750  pounds  16  per  cent  acid  phosphate. 
To  ascertain  the  amount  of  ammonia  needed,  read  down 
the  first  column  to  5  (the  per  cent  of  ammonia  the  formula 
calls  for),  then  read  across  to  the  column  under  nitrate 
of  soda  where  we  find  550  pounds  as  the  required  amount 
of  nitrate  of  soda.  To  get  the  amount  of  potash,  read 
down  the  first  column  until  6,  the  number  representing 
the  percentage  of  potash,  is  reached,  then  read  across  the 
column  until  muriate  of  potash  is  reached,  where  we  find 
the  number  252.  We  find  the  number  (6)  representing 
the  percentage  of  phosphoric  acid  desired,  in  the  same 
way,  and  then  again  read  across  the  columns  until  the 
one  representing  16  per  cent  acid  phosphate  is  reached, 
where  we  find  the  number  750.  This  combination  gives 
us  1552  pounds.  If  a  ton  of  material  is  wanted,  one 
can  supply  the  deficiency  by  adding  soil  or  other  inert 
material. 

Very  many  combinations  can  be  made.  All  the  ma- 
terials in  this  table  may  safely  be  mixed.  Some  combina- 
tions may  solidify  after  mixing,  and  would  need  to  be 
crushed. 

It  is  frequently  advisable  to  use  the  ammonia  from  two 
sources,  for  example,  nitrate  of  soda  and  cottonseed  meal. 


18  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Suppose  that  2  per  cent  of  the  ammonia  is  wanted  from 
nitrate  of  soda  and  3  per  cent  from  cottonseed  meal.  We 
proceed  as  before  to  read  down  the  first  column  to  the 
figure  2,  and  then  across  to  the  nitrate  of  soda  column, 
where  we  find  the  figure  220,  which  is  the  amount  of  nitrate 
of  soda  needed.  We  then  proceed  similarly  and  find 
800  pounds  to  be  the  amount  of  cottonseed  meal  needed 
to  make  3  per  cent  of  ammonia.  Then  proceed  to  find  the 
amounts  of  other  elements  as  before. 


LIME 

A  plant  needs  a  certain  amount  of  lime.  There  is  often 
sufficient  in  the  soil  as  carbonate  of  lime  or  limestone. 
Phosphate  and  land  plaster  contain  a  large  percentage  of 
it.  But  the  uses  of  lime  in  agricultural  soils  are  usually 
quite  different  from  its  use  as  a  plant-food.  It  neutralizes 
the  acids  which  are  produced  in  damp  vegetable  soils, 
and  is  required  for  the  growth  of  the  bacteria  which  change 
animal  and  vegetable  matter  into  soluble  salts  on  which 
the  plants  can  feed.  Lime  may  be  put  on  the  soil  as 
ground  limestone  or  as  slaked  lime. 

Ground  limestone. 

The  amount  of  ground  limestone  to  be  used  will  vary 
greatly  according  to  the  acidity  of  the  particular  piece  of 
land,  even  different  parts  of  the  same  acre  showing  different 
degrees  of  acidity.  A  soil  that  is  only  slightly  acid  will 
need  from  one  to  two  tons  of  ground  limestone ;  soils  that 
are  decidedly  acid  will  require  about  twice  as  much ;  and 
some  of  our  most  acid  soils  will  be  benefited  by  as  much 


Fertilizers  19 

as  8  to  12  tons  to  an  acre.  Many  farm  crops  are  bene- 
fited by  an  application  of  ground  limestone,  even  when 
the  soil  does  not  show  acidity.  Plants  of  the  legume 
family  are  especially  benefited  by  such  an  applica- 
tion. Celery,  lettuce,  cabbage,  citrous  fruits,  hay  and 
forage  crops,  generally  prefer  a  large  supply  of  lime  in 
the  soil.  Watermelons,  on  the  other  hand,  do  well  on  an 
acid  soil. 

It  is  best  to  apply  ground  limestone  to  the  soil  a  con- 
siderable time  before  the  crop  is  to  be  planted.  The 
application  should  be  made  before  plowing,  as  this  will 
give  an  opportunity  to  incorporate  the  material  more 
evenly  with  the  soil,  and  will  give  the  beneficial  soil  or- 
ganisms an  opportunity  to  increase  to  large  numbers. 

If  it  has  not  been  possible  to  apply  ground  limestone 
before  the  soil  is  broken  up,  it  may  be  applied  before 
planting  time.  It  is  advisable,  however,  to  apply  it  a 
considerable  time  before  one  wishes  to  use  fertilizer, 
since  the  acid  phosphate  of  the  fertilizer  on  coming  in 
contact  with  the  ground  limestone  is  likely  to  be  reverted 
more  quickly  than  desirable. 

Formerly  it  was  considered  necessary  to  have  the  lime- 
stone ground  into  a  very  fine  powder ;  later  experimenta- 
tion has  shown  that  a  rather  more  coarsely  ground  lime- 
stone is  quite  as  beneficial  and  more  lasting.  Hopkins, 
of  the  Illinois  Experiment  Station,  considers  that  the 
limestone  is  ground  fine  enough  if  it  can  pass  through  a 
sieve  with  10  meshes  to  the  inch.  Since  there  are  in- 
cluded in  this  material  all  the  finer  particles  that  are  pro- 
duced in  grinding,  a  sufficient  amount  of  lime  will  be 
available  at  once  for  the  needs  of  the  plants. 


20  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Acidity  of  Florida  soils. 

The  soils  of  Florida  are  for  the  most  part  made  up  of 
siliceous  particles,  and  have  no  available  alkali  or  base  to 
neutralize  any  acidity.  In  a  few  cases  in  which  an 
abundance  of  limestone  occurs  in  the  surface  soil,  it  is  a 
corrector  of  acidity,  but  by  far  the  larger  percentage  of 
the  sandy  soils  are  acid. 

Florida  muck  soils  are  nearly  all  acid,  there  being  very 
few  exceptions.  These  are  not  only  acid,  but  very  strongly 
so,  and  frequently  require  a  very  large  amount  of  ground 
limestone  to  correct  the  acidity. 

In  addition  to  the  fact  that  most  Florida  soils  are  natu- 
rally acid,  this  condition  is  intensified  by  some  of  the 
fertilizers,  especially  when  large  amounts  of  sulfate  of 
ammonia  are  used.  When  such  materials  are  broken  up, 
as  they  are  in  the  process  of  being  made  available  to  plants, 
the  acid  radical  is  left  in  the  soil. 

How  to  test  for  soil  acidity. 

Soil  may  be  tested  readily  for  acidity.  This  can  best  be 
done  in  the  field.  Procure  strips  of  litmus  paper  from  the 
drug-store,  of  both  kinds,  pink  and  blue.  In  using  this 
litmus  paper,  care  should  be  taken  that  the  fingers  do  not 
touch  it,  since  the  perspiration  from  the  hands  is  usually  acid 
enough  to  turn  the  blue  to  pink,  and  in  testing  soil  after  the 
paper  has  been  handled  a  false  reaction  might  occur.  The 
soil  to  be  tested  must  not  be  too  dry.  A  small  amount 
of  soil  may  be  taken  up,  and  if  it  can  be  pressed  into  a 
good  ball  it  usually  contains  enough  moisture  to  show  the 
reaction.  Break  the  ball  of  soil  open  and  place  two  strips 


Fertilizers  21 

of  paper  (blue  and  pink)  in  the  break,  then  press  tightly 
together  again.  In  the  course  of  ten  minutes  examine, 
and  if  the  paper  has  been  thoroughly  wetted  the  condition 
of  the  soil  may  be  noted.  If  the  blue  litmus  paper  has 
turned  pink,  the  soil  is  acid.  If  the  pink  paper  has 
turned  blue,  the  soil  is  alkaline.  If  no  change  in  color 
occurs,  the  soil  is  neutral.  The  degree  of  acidity  can  be 
told  in  a  general  way  by  the  degree  of  pinkness  if  the 
paper  was  formerly  blue.  The  subsoil  as  well  as  the 
soil  should  be  tested. 


HOW  TO  TEST  A  FIELD  FOR  FERTILIZER 

It  is  well  known  to  all  vegetable-growers  that  no  two 
fields  are  exactly  alike  in  their  fertilizer  requirements. 
Chemical  analyses  of  the  soil  will  not  give  sufficiently 
accurate  data  to  enable  us  to  vary  the  fertilizer  formula. 
Fortunately  the  superabundance  of  any  element  in  the 
soil  rarely  proves  harmful,  but  to  apply  an  excess  of  any 
element  is  wasteful  and  expensive.  The  only  way  at  our 
command  at  present  is  to  ask  the  particular  crop  to  analyze 
the  field  for  us. 

The  sandy  soil  of  Florida  is  unusually  well  adapted  to 
work  of  this  kind,  as  so  much  of  it  is  deficient  in  all  of  the 
essential  fertilizing  elements.  Any  one  raising  vegetables 
could  withhold  one  of  the  three  necessary  fertilizers  for  a 
series  of  years  on  three  different  plots,  and  thereby  learn 
the  effect  of  such  treatment,  and  then  by  noting  the  color 
of  the  foliage,  form  of  growth,  and  other  characters,  learn 
to  interpret  these  when  observed  in  other  fields. 

To  test  a  field  to  learn  whether  it  really  needs  all  the 


22  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

elements  of  a  complete  fertilizer,  one  may  proceed  as 
follows:  Choose  four  rows  of,  say,  tomatoes,  that  run 
across  a  typical  portion  of  the  field,  and  withhold  from 
these  one  of  the  fertilizer  elements,  for  instance  nitrogen. 
Treat  the  next  four  rows  the  same  as  the  bulk  of  the  field. 
From  the  next  four  rows  withhold  the  potash.  Again 
treat  four  rows  with  the  usual  fertilizer :  and  withhold 
the  phosphoric  acid  from  the  next  set  of  four  rows. 

While  the  test  rows  are  being  prepared,  a  number  of 
strong  stakes  are  made  ready  to  mark  off  each  plot  by 
driving  them  securely  into  the  ground  at  the  first  row  of 
each  of  the  three  sets  of  four  rows.  If  a  second  dressing 
of  fertilizer  is  given  to  the  crop,  care  must  be  exercised  not 
to  apply  the  element  that  was  withheld  when  the  first 
dressing  was  made.  In  making  such  a  test,  it  is  almost 
useless  to  employ  only  one  or  two  rows,  as  the  plants 
may  draw  their  supply  of  the  wanting  element  from  the 
neighboring  row.  After  such  a  test  has  been  made,  the 
crop  from  this  portion  should  be  measured  carefully  and 
compared  with  that  of  the  neighboring  rows.  If  the  first 
four  rows  produce  a  decidedly  inferior  crop,  and  the  other 
two  sets  of  four  rows  are  of  an  average  production,  it  is 
evident  that  the  field  needs  nitrogen ;  but  if  only  the  first 
and  third  sets  of  four  rows  have  fallen  off  in  yield,  the  field 
needs  nitrogen  and  phosphoric  acid  and  not  potash. 

Another  way  that  has  been  employed,  but  one  that  does 
not  answer  the  question  whether  more  than  one  element  is 
deficient,  is  to  use  the  plots  in  the  way  described  above ; 
but  in  the  place  of  two  elements  in  each,  to  use  only  one. 
For  example,  choose  four  rows  and  fertilize  these  with  a 
nitrogenous  fertilizer  only,  containing  neither  potash 


Fertilizers  23 

nor  phosphoric  acid;  and  so  on.  On  vegetables,  either 
of  these  tests  can  easily  be  performed,  but  on  fruit-trees 
the  results  are  frequently  so  slow  in  making  themselves 
manifest  that  it  requires  one  or  two  years  to  answer  the 
question  correctly. 


CHAPTER  III 

MANURES  FOR  VEGETABLE-GARDENING  IN 
WARM  COUNTRIES 

MANURE  comprises  all  forms  of  partly  decomposed  vege- 
table matter  in  barn-yards,  whether  animal  excrement  or 
other  decomposing  plant  remains.  Its  value  varies 
greatly,  not  only  with  regard  to  source,  but  also  from  the 
manner  in  which  it  has  been  kept.  When  kept  in  the  usual 
way,  it  is  worth  from  $2.00  to  $4.00  a  ton  for  use  on  sandy 
soils  in  Florida.  About  60  to  80  per  cent  of  the  whole 
weight  is  water ;  9  to  15  pounds  of  each  ton  is  nitrogen ; 
4  to  9  pounds,  phosphoric  acid ;  and  9  to  15  pounds,  potash. 
From  these  variations  it  is  evident  that  it  is  difficult  to 
state  just  how  much  manure  is  worth.  If  the  manure  has 
decomposed  in  the  open  air,  there  is  likelihood  of  the  rain 
having  washed  out  much  of  the  potash,  and  the  ammonia 
having  passed  off  as  a  gas  into  the  atmosphere.  Manure 
that  is  to  be  kept  for  some  time  should  be  under  a  roof 
where  rain  cannot  wash  out  any  of  the  soluble  fertilizer. 
It  should  be  kept  from  becoming  too  hot  by  being  forked 
over  or  stirred  in  some  way,  or  by  using  water  when  be- 
coming dry.  While  the  essential  elements  in  manure 
may  not  equal  those  of  a  commercial  fertilizer  at  the 
same  price,  yet  it  has  an  additional  worth  in  supplying 
humus,  the  value  of  which  is  difficult  to  estimate,  and 
which  is  often  needed  more  than  the  plant-food  elements. 
24 


Manures  for  Vegetable-Gardening  in  Warm  Countries    25 

Manure  supplies  useful  bacteria,  especially  on  sandy, 
worn-out,  or  occasionally  flooded  lands,  but  may  distribute 
weed  seeds,  and  fungi  such  as  Fusarium. 


COMPOST 

It  has  long  been  known  that  decomposing  vegetable  or 
animal  matter  causes  plants  to  grow  luxuriantly;  but 
that  at  the  same  time,  the  plants  are  liable  to  be  unfruitful. 
This  is  due  to  an  over-abundance  of  nitrogenous  matter. 
If,  to  this  decomposing  organic  matter,  enough  potash  and 
phosphoric  acid  are  added  to  make  a  complete  fertilizer, 
the  plants  do  not  become  "over-grown."  The  amount 
of  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  to  be  used  is  learned  by 
experience.  Such  a  mixture  is  called  a  compost.  This 
term  is  often  applied  to  a  decomposing  heap  of  organic 
matter,  and  also  to  such  heaps  when  land  plaster  (gyp- 
sum) has  been  added;  but  the  term  is  here  restricted 
to  decomposed  organic  matter,  to  which  enough  com- 
mercial fertilizer  elements  have  been  added  to  make  a 
complete  fertilizer. 

On  any  farm,  garden,  or  other  place  where  branches  of 
horticulture  or  agriculture  are  carried  on,  a  considerable 
quantity  of  coarse  and  refuse  material  can  be  collected 
without  special  effort.  All  offal,  as  vegetable  refuse, 
kitchen  slops,  wash-water  or  soap-suds,  the  dung  of  domes- 
tic animals,  bits  of  wood,  —  in  fact,  anything  of  animal 
or  vegetable  origin,  —  may  be  used  in  this  way.  The  best 
way  to  dispose  of  any  animal  that  has  died  on  the  farm  is 
to  use  it  in  the  compost  heap.  When  any  odor  is  escaping 
from  the  compost  heap  or  bin,  one  may  be  sure  that 


26  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

valuable  fertilizer  is  being  lost;  this  may  be  arrested  by 
mixing  with  the  compost  two  or  three  bushels  of  land 
plaster  to  a  cart-load  of  material.  If  land  plaster  is  not  at 
hand,  two  or  three  inches  of  moist  soil  thrown  over  the 
pile  will  arrest  the  escaping  ammonia.  The  decomposi- 
tion of  material  may  be  hastened  by  adding  night-soil  or 
undecomposed  manure,  but  it  should  be  distributed  evenly 
throughout  the  entire  mass. 

By  the  proper  use  of  fresh  manure,  a  compost  may  be 
prepared  that  will  be  ready  for  use  in  four  or  five  weeks. 

If  any  one  wishes  to  compost  material  rapidly,  the 
following  general  directions  will  be  found  of  service: 
Have  on  hand  about  four  barrels  of  manure,  such  as  hen 
manure,  cow  manure,  horse  manure,  or  night-soil;  and 
about  five  bushels  of  land  plaster.  This  will  be  found 
enough  to  decompose  a  ton  of  dry  matter,  and  about 
eight  tons  of  green  matter.  Place  about  six  inches  of 
muck  on  the  bottom  of  the  compost  shed  and  wet  it  down 
thoroughly.  On  this  put  a  layer  of  six  or  eight  inches 
of  material  to  be  decomposed ;  add  a  thin  layer  of  manure, 
and  so  on,  till  the  required  amount  of  material  has  been 
used.  The  body  of  the  material  should  be  made  com- 
pletely wet;  if  this  is  not  done  it  is  liable  to  "burn," 
and  lose  one  of  the  important  elements  of  plant-food,  — 
nitrogen.  Finally,  mix  the  land  plaster  with  enough 
fresh  earth  or  thoroughly  decomposed  muck  to  cover  the 
whole  about  eight  inches  thick.  The  muck  in  the  bottom 
will  catch  any  surplus  moisture  and  save  a  waste  of  soluble 
fertilizer.  The  manure  furnishes  the  germs  that  set  up 
decay,  the  water  distributes  these  germs  and  gives  them 
the  necessary  moisture,  while  the  land  plaster  arrests 


Manures  for  Vegetable-Gardening  in  Warm  Countries    27 

any  escaping  ammonia  and  holds  it  in  an  available  form. 
Land  plaster  may  be  added  to  each  layer  of  the  compost  to 
take  up  any  gas  as  it  is  formed.  The  time  required  for 
decomposition  depends  largely  on  the  amount  of  manure 
used  and  the  completeness  of  the  mixing  with  the  coarse 
stuff.  Caution  should  be  exercised  to  keep  the  pile  moist, 
but  not  wet ;  if  it  is  so  wet  that  liquid  can  be  pressed  out  of 
it  by  squeezing  it  in  the  hand,  water  must  be  withheld  for 
several  days;  when  no  more  water  can  be  pressed  out, 
water  may  again  be  applied ;  if  it  is  too  dry  much  of  the 
nitrogen  may  be  lost.  This  is  made  apparent  by  the  rising 
of  steam  or  the  sending  off  of  ammonia  gas,  and  is  easily 
detected  by  the  nostril.  If  the  overheating  is  due  to  the 
lack  of  water,  it  may  be  corrected  by  supplying  the  needed 
moisture,  but  sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  fork  the  pile  over 
to  lower  the  temperature.  After  a  little  practice,  one  is 
able  to  prepare  a  heap  so  that  it  will  not  have  to  be  dis- 
turbed until  it  is  to  be  applied  to  the  field. 

If  one  has  determined  for  what  crop  the  compost  is 
to  be  used,  the  proper  amount  of  commercial  fertilizer 
may  be  added  as  the  pile  is  prepared ;  otherwise  this 
must  be  added  when  the  compost  is  to  be  used.  There 
are  two  advantages  in  the  use  of  compost :  first,  it  im- 
proves the  mechanical  condition  of  the  soil ;  and  secondly, 
the  soluble  chemical  fertilizer  is  taken  up  by  the  vegetable 
matter  and  held  in  suspension  much  as  a  sponge  holds 
water,  thus  keeping  the  rains  from  leaching  it  out  of  the 
soil,  and  as  it  is  in  a  more  finely  divided  state,  the  growing 
plants  can  absorb  it  with  greater  facility.  When  preparing 
compost,  it  must  be  under  shelter  to  keep  the  water  from 
washing  out  the  soluble  fertilizer. 


28  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

MUCK  (OR  PEAT) 

There  has  been  much  said  and  much  written  on  this 
subject,  and  many  heated  discussions  have  been  engaged 
in.  Much  of  the  discussion  would  not  have  occurred  if 
the  arguments  had  been  confined  closely  to  the  question 
at  issue.  Usually  the  only  fertilizing  element  present  in 
muck  is  nitrogen,  and  this  varies  widely  in  different 
samples,  from  a  fraction  of  1  per  cent  in  a  poor  grade  to 
two  or  three  in  the  best.  However,  if  one  is  sure  that  the 
soil  needs  this  element,  nitrogen,  and  also  wants  humus, 
all  that  is  necessary  is  to  get  the  percentage  present  in 
the  supply,  and  calculate  whether  it  is  cheaper  to  use  this 
source  or  to  get  it  from  some  other  form.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  the  nitrogen  in  muck  is  only  slowly 
available,  and  the  amount  available  is  shown  only  by 
experience.  The  particular  crop  to  be  grown  on  a  given 
piece  of  land  will  have  much  to  do  with  the  advisability 
of  hauling  muck.  It  is  generally  conceded  that  muck  is 
an  important  source  of  nitrogen  and  will  prove  of  value 
when  properly  and  intelligently  used. 

Besides  its  good  qualities  as  a  fertilizer,  muck  in  a  dry 
and  powdered  form  makes  one  of  the  best  absorbents. 
It  is  excellent  for  use  in  horse  stables,  cattle  sheds,  and 
similar  places.  The  moisture  is  taken  up  quickly  and  the 
odor  arrested.  The  importance  of  saving  the  urine  of 
animals  is  usually  over-looked,  mainly  because  there 
seems  to  be  no  handy  way  of  saving  it.  By  using  dry 
muck,  it  is  as  easily  handled  as  a  commercial  fertilizer. 


CHAPTER  IV 

ROTATION  OF  CROPS  IN  VEGETABLE- 
GARDENING 

WHEN  a  certain  crop  has  been  grown  for  a  number  of 
years  in  the  same  field,  the  yield  often  decreases  with 
each  successive  harvest,  until,  finally,  the  crop  fails  to  be 
remunerative.  When  a  different  vegetable  is  planted  on 
such  land  it  usually  yields  a  paying  crop,  and  after  a 
number  of  years  the  original  crop  can  again  be  grown  with 
profit.  This  phenomenon  has  given  rise  to  the  belief  by 
some  persons  that  the  first  crop  puts  something  in  the  soil 
that  is  detrimental  to  itself;  others  hold  that  there  is 
something  taken  out  of  the  soil  that  is  afterward  restored. 
The  latter  view  may  be  nearer  the  truth  than  the  former. 
There  are  crops,  however,  that  grow  "tired"  of  a  certain 
piece  of  land,  or  rather  the  land  grows  "tired"  of  a  certain 
crop.  Some  of  these  instances  cannot  be  explained  by 
the  exhaustion  of  certain  elements.  Certain  pieces  of 
land  in  Germany  grew  tired  of  growing  beets,  and  were 
"riiben-mude"  (beet-tired);  after  growing  certain  other 
crops  on  this  land,  it  would  again  produce  beets  in  the 
same  quantity  as  at  first.  Later  investigations  showed 
that  this  "beet- tired"  condition  was  due  to  the  presence 
of  a  microscopic  worm  closely  related  to  the  one  that 
causes  root-knot  on  our  vegetables. 
29 


30  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Certain  crops  are  able  to  grow  repeatedly  on  the  same 
land  without  showing  any  falling  off  in  quantity  or  quality 
of  yield.  For  example,  in  an  onion-raising  district,  a 
certain  piece  of  land  has  grown  more  than  thirty  crops  of 
onions,  and  that  plot  is  preferred  to-day  to  any  of  the  sur- 
rounding land.  Lawes  and  Gilbert  grew  wheat  on  the 
same  carefully  weeded  plot  for  forty  consecutive  years, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  land  seemed  about  as  good 
for  wheat  as  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  experiment. 

It  is  always  a  good  practice,  however,  to  change  the  crop 
grown  in  any  field  from  year  to  year.  In  making  changes 
of  crops,  they  should  be  as  different  as  possible.  It  is 
well  to  plant  a  field  that  has  just  received  a  good  green 
soiling  with  some  gross-feeding  crop,  as  the  small  grains  or 
corn,  and  then  to  follow  this  with  vegetables.  To  follow  a 
crop  of  eggplant  with  a  crop  of  tomatoes  could  hardly  have 
the  force  of  rotation,  inasmuch  as  the  plants  use  about  the 
same  fertilizer  and  harbor  about  the  same  insects  and 
fungi ;  cabbage  following  cauliflower  could  not  be  con- 
sidered a  rotation  for  the  same  reason,  but  cabbage  follow- 
ing tomatoes  would  be  a  good  rotation. 

In  the  southern  United  States,  near  the  Gulf,  it  is 
possible  to  have  three  or  even  four  crops  in  rotation  in  a 
single  year.  Thus  at  Hastings,  Florida,  a  crop  of  Irish 
potatoes  may  be  planted  in  February,  and  immediately 
after  digging  the  potatoes,  corn  may  be  planted.  When 
the  corn  is  cultivated  for  the  last  time,  cowpeas  may  be 
sown.  When  these  have  been  harvested,  a  fall  crop  of 
Irish  potatoes  may  be  planted.  These  are  harvested  be- 
fore Christmas.  This  rotation  has  been  carried  out  in 
practice.  If  some  other  crop,  such  as  fall  lettuce,  be  sub- 


Rotation  of  Crops  in  Vegetable-Gardening         31 

stituted  for  the  fall  Irish  potatoes,  we  would  have  a  com- 
plete four-crop  rotation. 

A  rotation  should,  as  a  rule,  include  a  crop  of  some 
legume.  This  will  keep  the  soil  in  good  condition  and 
add  to  the  amount  of  nitrogen.  Otherwise,  more  nitrogen 
must  be  applied,  as  manure  or  fertilizer.  Legumes  used 
in  Florida  in  a  rotation  are  velvet  beans,  beggarweed, 
peanuts,  and  cowpeas.  In  other  subtropical  regions,  as 
Egypt,  the  broad  bean  is  used  as  a  winter  forage  crop. 
In  tropical  countries,  however,  the  pigeon  pea,  green  gram 
or  woolly  pyrol,  the  jack  bean  or  sword  bean,  and  others 
are  used  in  rotations. 

COVER-CROPS,   OR  PLANTS  USED  TO   PROTECT  AND  ENRICH 
SOIL 

The  rain  that  falls  on  the  land  during  the  year  leaches 
out  much  soluble  plant-food  or  fertilizer,  unless  there  is 
some  way  of  holding  it  in  the  soil.  Fertilizer  must  be  in  a 
soluble  condition  before  plants  can  appropriate  it.  If  there 
are  no  plants  present  to  appropriate  the  soluble  part  of 
the  fertilizer,  it  is  evident  that  the  rain  will  carry  this  por- 
tion out  of  the  soil  into  the  waterways ;  but  if  plants  use 
it  at  once  when  it  becomes  available,  it  remains  on  the 
land.  When  these  plants  decay,  they  return  this  stored-up 
food,  and  also  humus,  to  the  soil. 

Plants  as  a  source  of  nitrogen. 

The  primary  source  of  nitrogen  is  the  air.  Nitrogen 
enters  plants  in  different  ways;  most  vegetables  take  it 
up  from  the  soil,  but  a  few  are  known  to  take  it  from  the 


32  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

air  indirectly.  Plants  that  do  not  appropriate  it  from  the 
air  are  still  important  conservators  of  nitrogen,  in  that 
they  take  it  up  from  the  soil  and  keep  it  from  wasting,  and 
at  the  end  of  their  life  give  it  back  when  they  decay.  This 
class  of  plants  cannot  give  to  the  soil  more  nitrogen  than 
they  draw  out,  but  they  can  conserve  it  for  subsequent 
crops.  They  also  accumulate  the  other  soluble  elements 
of  plant-food.  The  nitrogen-assimilating  plants  store 
up  varying  amounts  of  this  element  and  give  it  to  the  soil 
when  they  decay,  thus  actually  adding  to  the  supply  of 
this  important  element,  and  also  keeping  the  other  ele- 
ments from  wasting.  By  growing  a  leguminous  cover- 
crop  on  land  for  a  number  of  years,  and  utilizing  it  care- 
fully, the  land  becomes  richer,  until  finally  it  will  grow 
full  crops. 

The  best  plants  for  gathering  nitrogen  now  in  cultiva- 
tion in  the  southern  United  States  are  velvet  beans,  cow- 
peas,  and  beggarweed.  In  tropical  countries,  green  gram 
or  woolly  pyrol,  jack  bean,  Manila  bean,  Bengal  bean, 
pigeon  pea,  and  several  other  legumes  are  used.  Most 
varieties  of  cowpeas  are  severely  attacked  by  the  root- 
knot-producing  nematode.  This  should  be  taken  into 
consideration  when  planting  them,  as  it  would  mean  the 
failure  of  a  subsequent  non-immune  crop  if  the  field  were 
infested  with  these  nematodes.  Fortunately  there  is  at 
least  one  variety  of  cowpea,  the  Iron,  that  seems  to  be 
resistant  to  this  disease. 

As  to  the  way  of  using  these  plants,  there  is  some  diver- 
sity of  opinion.  In  clay  soil,  the  plants  may  be  plowed 
under  in  the  green  state,  but  on  sandy  soils  this  will  not 
be  found  good  practice. 


Rotation  of  Crops  in  Vegetable-Gardening         33 

According  to  Director  Stubbs  of  the  Louisiana  Agricul- 
tural Experiment  Station,  it  is  a  detrimental  practice  in 
the  South,  and  the  green  manure  should  be  allowed  to  rot 
before  it  is  plowed  under.  The  decomposition  of  the 
green  matter  is  said  to  create  a  ferment  in  the  soil  detri- 
mental to  crops  that  may  follow. 

Weeds. 

If  the  definition  that  a  weed  is  a  plant  out  of  place,  is 
accepted,  almost  any  plant  may  become  a  weed.  On  the 
other  hand,  perhaps  almost  every  weed  may,  in  some  way, 
become  an  economic  plant.  Most  weeds  certainly  play 
havoc  with  a  crop ;  they  are  ever  present,  springing  up, 
it  seems  spontaneously,  to  take  up  the  available  fertilizer 
that  was  intended  for  the  crop,  thus  leaving  the  seedlings 
in  a  sickly  and  weak  condition,  unable  to  withstand  insect 
attacks  and  diseases. 

It  has  been  shown  very  clearly  that  many  weeds  harbor 
diseases  of  crops.  Some  of  the  plant  diseases  are  carried 
through  the  winter  by  weeds,  and  in  spring  produce  spores 
which  are  disseminated  to  the  crops.  Other  weeds  act 
simply  as  harborers  of  insects,  which  leave  the  weed  as 
soon  as  more  refined  food  can  be  found.  Poke-weed  is  a 
prolific  source  of  root-knot ;  fire-weed  multiplies  the  sclero- 
tium  tomato  blight ;  pepper-grass  harbors  club-root ;  and 
so  we  might  continue  a  long  enumeration  of  the  diseases 
of  crops  that  will  grow  on  weeds.  Another  pernicious  ef- 
fect of  weeds  is  the  untidy  appearance  they  present  when 
allowed  to  grow.  When  dry  they  invite  fire  and  are 
often  the  road  to  the  destruction  of  much  property. 


34  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Weeds  remove  moisture  from  the  soil  and  so  may  cause 
serious  injury  to  the  crop  in  dry  weather.  Abundant 
weeds  also  prevent  the  cultivated  plants  from  getting 
enough  light  when  young,  causing  them  to  grow  spindly, 
and  the  roots  of  weeds  crowd  out  those  of  the  crop. 


CHAPTER  V 
WATER  AND  WATERING 

IN  all  branches  of  vegetable-  and  fruit-growing,  the 
question  of  watering  is  an  important  one ;  it  is  a  necessary 
factor  from  the  time  the  seed  is  planted  to  the  time  the 
crop  is  harvested.  A  sufficient  amount  of  water  must  be 
applied  either  naturally  or  artificially.  Where  water 
can  be  supplied  either  by  flowing  wells  or  by  pumping, 
the  vegetable-grower  has  a  considerable  advantage  over 
his  neighbors  who  have  not  this  supply.  In  dry  seasons 
his  crop  will  not  suffer  from  drought,  and  the  crop  will 
bring  more  money  in  consequence  of  the  lack  of  water 
elsewhere.  Much  of  the  vegetable  land  can  be  supplied 
with  water  from  artesian  wells;  their  usefulness  in  this 
respect  has  already  been  demonstrated. 

Another  source  of  water  for  use  in  vegetable-growing, 
and  one  that  is  not  being  employed  to  the  extent  to  which 
it  might  be  advantageously  used,  is  the  flow  of  streams. 
In  many  cases  there  is  enough  flowing  water  to  supply  all 
or  a  great  part  of  the  land  with  water  in  dry  times.  Water 
may  be  raised  to  a  considerable  height  by  the  use  of  a 
hydraulic  ram.  One  of  these  machines  will  operate  with- 
out any  attention  after  it  has  been  put  in  place  and  set  to 
running.  A  single  discharge  may  be  quite  small,  yet  when 
it  runs  twenty-four  hours  without  stopping,  a  considerable 
amount  of  water  has  been  lifted.  The  amount  of  water 
35 


36  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

that  one  of  these  machines  will  raise  depends  on  the  height 
it  is  being  raised  and  the  amount  that  is  flowing  in  the 
stream  which  supplies  the  water.  Under  the  most  favor- 
able conditions,  a  ram  will  raise  f  of  the  flowing  water 
4  feet,  if  there  is  a  fall  of  2  feet ;  or  it  may  raise  fa  of  the 
water  120  feet  above  the  source  if  there  is  a  fall  of  12  feet. 
The  amount  raised  varies  inversely  as  the  height  to  which 
it  is  to  be  elevated.  These  rams  are  made  in  various  sizes 
to  suit  the  conditions ;  they  are  made  to  discharge  from 
^  to  30  and  even  more  gallons  a  minute.  The  cost  of  these 
machines  varies  from  $9  to  over  $100.  Like  all  other 
machines  they  will  in  time  wear  out,  but  their  structure  is 
so  simple  as  rarely  to  get  out  of  order.  The  manner  of 
placing  the  tank  or  reservoir  must  be  modified  to  suit  the 
individual  fields. 

Windmills  are  more  largely  employed  for  lifting  water 
to  tanks ;  but  they  are  more  difficult  to  keep  in  repair  and 
also  wear  out  in  a  few  years.  Gasoline  engines  are  now 
commonly  used  and  are  most  satisfactory;  though  they 
are  the  most  expensive  of  the  various  machines  used  for 
the  purpose  of  lifting  water. 

Some  method  of  irrigation  is  of  great  use  in  tropical 
countries.  Indeed  without  irrigation,  vegetables  can 
hardly  be  raised  during  the  dry  season,  which  often  in- 
cludes most  of  the  cool  season.  In  tradewind  regions,  an 
aermotor  usually  gives  satisfaction  as  a  means  of  raising 
water. 

IRRIGATION 

Climatic  conditions  in  most  tropical  and  subtropical 
countries  are  such  that  during  a  part  of  the  year  there  is 


PLATE  I.  —  IRRIGATION. 


Top,  wooden  sluice  for  conducting  water,  to  cucumbers  and  other  crops, 
with  V-shaped  troughs  to  carry  the  water  and  also  to  be  used  to  protect 
plants  from  frost ;  bottom,  sub-irrigation  of  celery  field,  showing  head- 
boxes. 


Water  and  Watering  37 

likely  to  be  an  over-supply  of  moisture,  and  at  another 
part  of  the  year  the  rainfall  is  likely  to  be  deficient.  The 
irrigation  plant,  of  whatever  type,  becomes  extremely 
useful  during  the  dry  part  of  the  year.  Many  of  the  vege- 
tables not  now  grown  in  these  regions  will  thrive 
luxuriantly  if  only  a  sufficient  and  constant  water  supply 
is  at  hand.  (See  Plate  I.) 

Over-head  irrigation. 

Under  the  general  head  of  over-head  irrigation  are  in- 
cluded all  kinds  of  irrigation  in  which  nozzles,  pipes,  and 
other  appliances  are  used  for  distributing  water  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  This  is  not  an  economical  way  to 
use  the  water,  and  a  considerable  quantity  is  lost  by  evap- 
oration, since  the  particles  are  thrown  into  the  atmosphere 
in  the  form  of  drops  of  water,  and  in  a  windy  time  much  of 
the  moisture  is  carried  away.  It  has  an  advantage  over 
the  other  systems  of  irrigation  in  that  it  is  applicable  to 
any  kind  of  soil,  no  matter  whether  the  surface  is  uneven  or 
broken.  An  almost  endless  variety  of  nozzles  for  distribut- 
ing water  by  this  system  may  be  secured  and  the  varia- 
tions are  as  extensive  as  the  ingenuity  of  the  vegetable- 
growers. 

One  essential  part  of  such  a  plant  is  the  central  tank, 
placed  on  a  tower  or  elevation  of  about  60  feet  above  the 
field  to  be  irrigated.  This  gives  sufficient  pressure  to 
operate  the  nozzles  that  are  designed  for  this  purpose,  or 
approximately  30  pounds  pressure.  The  size  of  the  tank 
for  holding  the  water  will  be  determined  by  the  area  of 
the  land  to  be  irrigated  at  one  time.  The  main  object  of 
the  elevation  of  the  water  is  to  give  uniform  pressure. 


407901 


38  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

For  a  vegetable  field  of  4  to  6  acres  in  extent,  a  3000-gallon 
tank  is  ample.  A  steel  tank  and  tower,  including  its 
erection,  costs  approximately  $500. 

A  second  essential  part  is  the  pumping  plant.  A  six 
to  eight  horse-power  gasoline  or  alcohol  engine  with  pump 
of  suitable  capacity  will  serve  for  this  purpose.  The  cost 
of  the  engine  and  pump,  with  cost  of  installing,  will  vary 
according  to  the  location  and  the  make  of  the  machinery, 
but  $400  to  $600  is  ample  to  purchase  and  install  such 
machinery  in  first-class  condition. 

The  third  essential  of  this  plant  is  the  pipe  line.  For  an 
area  of  4  to  6  acres  in  extent,  it  is  desirable  to  have  the 
main  line  of  3-inch  pipe.  This  can  be  reduced  to  2|-inch 
pipe  toward  the  end  of  the  line.  The  laterals  will  be  at- 
tached to  this  main  line.  These  should  be  about  200 
to  350  feet  in  length,  starting  with  a  1-inch  pipe  at  the  main 
line  and  running  at  this  size  for  150  or  200  feet.  The  re- 
mainder of  it  may  be  reduced  to  f-inch  pipe.  These 
laterals  may  be  placed  on  the  tops  of  posts  7  feet  tall,  to 
get  the  pipe  out  of  the  way  of  laborers  and  work  animals. 
In  the  side  of  this  pipe,  at  4  foot  intervals,  are  holes  drilled 
with  ^-inch  bit.  This  forms  a  rather  crude  way  of  dis- 
tributing the  water,  but  proves  to  be  serviceable.  A  better 
and  more  serviceable  form  will  be  found  by  using  a  j^-inch 
bit  for  drilling  the  holes  and  then  inserting  brass  nozzles 
manufactured  for  this  purpose.  These  have  a  -^-inch 
opening  and  deliver  the  water  more  evenly  than  does  the 
rough  opening  made  by  a  bit.  A  number  of  makes  of 
these  nozzles  may  be  had  on  the  market.  In  using  this 
form  for  distributing  the  water,  the  lateral  pipes  are 
laid  50  feet  apart.  A  30-pound  pressure  from  the  tank  will 


Water  and  Watering  39 

be  sufficient  to  throw  the  water  through  one-half  the  dis- 
tance between  the  two  lateral  lines.  The  lateral  pipe  is 
connected  with  a  universal  union  near  the  elbow  at  the 
top  of  the  riser  from  the  ground.  This  enables  the 
operator  to  turn  the  pipes  resting  on  the  posts  in  such  a 
way  as  to  distribute  the  water  evenly  over  a  space  about 
50  feet  broad.  The  cost  of  installing  such  a  line  will  vary 
with  the  amount  and  cost  of  large  pipe  and  other  material 
needed,  but  $250  to  $300  an  acre  is  a  sufficient  amount  to 
allow  for  a  4-  to  6-acre  plant. 

Many  of  the  plants  run  the  laterals  underground  and 
have  one-inch  risers,  on  the  top  of  which  are  placed  the 
distributing  nozzles.  The  distance  between  the  distribut- 
ing lines  and  the  distance  between  the  various  risers  on  the 
distributing  line  will  vary  with  the  make  of  nozzle  used 
and  the  pressure  employed.  This  nozzle  system  requires 
somewhat  more  piping  than  does  the  system  with  laterals 
on  the  tops  of  posts. 

Surface  irrigation. 

When  a  surface  irrigation  system  is  installed,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  the  soil  of  a  close  compact  nature.  It 
must  contain  a  great  deal  of  clay,  otherwise  the  distribu- 
tion of  water  in  the  vegetable  field  will  be  somewhat  diffi- 
cult and  uneven.  The  field  must  also  be  quite  even  and 
have  a  uniform  slope.  This  system  of  distributing  water 
has  been  in  vogue  for  so  many  centuries  and  in  so  many 
different  countries  that  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  describe 
it.  The  one  difficulty  to  be  overcome  in  the  vegetable 
field  is  that  the  water  must  be  applied  in  furrows  rather 
near  the  rows  of  vegetables.  For  closely-planted  vege- 


40  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

tables  it  is  sufficient  to  run  one  water  furrow  between 
the  rows. 

The  length  of  the  laterals  for  distributing  the  water  will 
vary  with  the  character  of  the  soil.  In  a  very  sandy  soil 
it  is  difficult  to  run  the  water  for  a  distance  of  more  than 
300  to  600  feet,  where  the  slope  is  about  3  inches  to  the 
100  feet.  Some  considerable  experience  is  necessary  to 
run  the  water  in  furrows  in  a  sandy  soil,  the  most  important 
consideration  being  that  of  delivering  a  large  volume  of 
water,  about  2  inches,  and  running  it  quickly  down  a  dry 
and  well-prepared  furrow.  If  the  slope  is  even  and  the 
soil  has  been  well  prepared,  an  experienced  person  has  no 
great  difficulty  in  distributing  the  water  in  this  way  unless 
he  attempts  to  distribute  it  for  more  than  600  feet. 

The  advantage  of  this  form  of  irrigation  is  that  it  is  very 
economical  of  the  use  of  water  and  that  it  has  been  in  use 
for  many  centuries  and  thus  is  familiar  to  many  persons ; 
its  disadvantages  lie  in  that  it  is  applicable  only  to  lands 
having  a  proper  slope  and  consistency,  and  that  it  requires 
experienced  laborers  when  used  on  sandy  lands. 

Sub-irrigation. 

The  sub-irrigation  system  which  is  also  used  for  a  drain- 
age system  during  the  rainy  season,  is  one  of  the  most 
satisfactory  that  can  be  employed  in  the  vegetable  fields. 
Its  application  is  limited  to  lands  having  an  even  and 
very  uniform  slope.  One  must  also  have  an  impervious 
substratum  as  well  as  a  large  water  supply.  It  is  more 
adaptable  to  a  loamy  or  to  a  sandy  soil  than  to  a  clay  soil. 

The  essential  part  of  this  system  is  a  series  of  tile  drains 
laid  out  in  proper  conformity  to  the  slope  of  the  land. 


Water  and  Watering  41 

Nearly  all  of  the  failures  connected  with  the  sub-irrigation 
system  can  be  traced  directly  to  this  point.  Too  fre- 
quently the  tile  line  is  laid  out  by  crude  and  inaccurate 
instruments,  such  as  a  spirit  level.  The  line  of  tile  may  be 
laid  at  varying  distances  from  16  to  40  feet  apart,  according 
to  the  porousness  of  the  soil. 

Such  a  system  should  be  laid  out  by  means  of  a  sur- 
veyor's level  and  the  stakes  set  as  accurately  as  is  done  for 
drainage  systems.  These  various  lines  of  tile  are  laid 
out  and  then  run  to  the  main.  The  length  of  the  laterals 
will  depend  upon  the  convenience  of  the  owner  and  the 
character  of  the  vegetables  to  be  grown  upon  the  soil. 
In  laying  out  such  a  system,  it  should  be  carried  out 
exactly  as  if  it  was  intended  for  drainage  only.  The 
length  of  the  laterals  will  vary  according  to  the  contour  of 
the  land  and  the  desires  of  the  owner.  From  200  to  600 
feet  is  usually  considered  a  fair  length  for  a  lateral.  The 
tiles  are  usually  made  of  clay  and  for  the  main  part  porous, 
though  glazed  tile  may  be  employed.  The  3-inch  size  is 
considered  most  satisfactory. 

The  depth  to  which  these  are  laid  will  vary  from  a  few 
inches  to  several  feet.  If  it  is  necessary  to  have  good 
drainage  during  the  rainy  season,  the  tile  can  be  laid 
rather  deeply  in  the  soil.  If,  however,  drainage  is  of  second- 
ary importance  the  tile  may  be  laid  higher.  In  any  case 
they  should  be  laid  not  less  than  12  or  14  inches  below  the 
surface,  since  it  frequently  becomes  necessary  to  plow  to 
this  depth  in  a  vegetable  field. 

When  these  tiles  are  laid  in  the  soil  they  should  be  on  a 
perfectly  even  slope.  The  joints  between  the  tiles  must  be 
protected  by  the  use  of  some  substance  such  as  Spanish 


42  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

moss  which  occurs  abundantly  in  tropical  and  subtropical 
regions,  cypress  shingle  tow,  or  other  organic  matter  of  a 
lasting  quality.  This  strains  out  the  sand  and  other 
material  that  is  likely  to  filter  into  the  tile  between  the 
joints  and  clog  the  system. 

At  the  point  where  the  laterals  join  the  main  distributing 
pipe,  specially  prepared  boxes  are  inserted.  These  boxes 
may  be  made  of  cement,  earthenware,  or  even  of  durable 
lumber.  These  head-boxes  are  usually  about  14  by  18 
inches  and  long  enough  to  reach  below  the  depth  of  the 
tile  and  still  protrude  several  inches  above  the  ground. 
About  midway  of  these  boxes  is  a  partition  running  from 
the  bottom  to  the  top.  Two  holes  are  made  through  this 
partition,  one  even  with  the  holes  that  receive  the  ends  of 
the  main  line  and  the  other  as  high  as  the  level  of  the 
ground.  The  holes  in  the  head-boxes  which  receive  the 
laterals  are  placed  on  the  same  side  of  the  partition  as 
the  inlet  of  the  main.  When  the  lower  hole  in  the  partition 
is  opened,  the  water  flows  freely  from  the  end  of  the  main 
entering  the  box  through  the  hole  in  the  middle  and  out  of 
the  exit  end  of  the  main.  When  the  lower  hole  in  the 
middle  of  the  box  is  closed,  the  water  flowing  through  the 
main  fills  the  box  and  runs  out  into  the  laterals.  This 
continues  until  the  soil  supplied  by  the  laterals  is  thoroughly 
saturated.  When  any  surplus  water  is  applied  after  this, 
the  water  continues  to  flow  through  the  upper  hole  in  the 
partition  in  the  middle  of  the  box. 

As  soon  as  the  field  has  been  sufficiently  irrigated  to  suit 
the  operator,  the  flow  of  water  is  stopped  in  the  main  and 
the  stopper  taken  out  of  the  lower  hole  and  the  water 
run  off.  (See  bottom  figure,  Plate  I.) 


CHAPTER  VI 
SEEDS  AND  SEED-SOWING 

CONSIDERABLE  difficulty  is  experienced  in  the  matter  of 
seed-sowing,  especially  if  the  crop  is  to  be  sown  in  the 
field.  Some  small  seeds,  as  turnips,  are  very  difficult  to 
sow  evenly  by  hand ;  but,  fortunately,  this  has  been  over- 
come in  a  measure  by  the  invention  of  a  machine  to  do 
this  work.  Even  with  a  machine,  there  is  room  for 
exercise  of  judgment;  seeds  of  the  same  variety  are  not 
all  the  same  size,  and  the  average  size  varies  to  a  con- 
siderable extent. 

How  to  test  a  machine. 

Before  sowing  with  a  machine,  it  is  necessary  to  know 
just  how  it  will  sow.  The  marks  put  on  by  the  manufac- 
turer are  only  approximately  correct,  on  account  of  the 
variation  in  the  size  of  the  seed.  The  machine  can  be 
regauged  for  the  particular  seed  in  hand  by  running  it 
over  a  piece  of  canvas  that  has  been  spread  down  for  the 
occasion.  The  length  of  the  row  on  the  canvas  can  be 
measured  and  the  amount  of  seed  also;  this  reduces  the 
matter  to  simple  computation,  and  the  seed  can  readily 
be  taken  up  and  returned  to  the  bag  unharmed.  Seeds 
obtained  from  different  sources  will  be  found  to  vary 
considerably  in  size ;  these  seeds  of  different  sizes  should 
be  planted  separately,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  regauge 
43 


44  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  machine.  It  has  been  found  by  experiment  that  there 
is  a  wide  difference  in  the  value  of  the  different  sizes  of 
seed.  If  radish  seed  is  taken  from  a  single  plant  and 
graded  into  sizes,  the  largest  will  germinate  and  produce 
a  marketable  vegetable  first,  and  nearly  all  the  seed  pro- 
duce good  radishes ;  the  second  size  seed  will  mature  next 
and  so  on  until  the  smallest  grade  is  reached,  which  will 
produce  radishes  last,  and  then  only  inferior  roots. 

Choosing  the  varieties. 

In  this  day  of  specialization,  varieties  are  almost  end- 
less; new  ones  are  brought  to  notice  daily.  Sometimes 
it  seems  that  the  prices  paid  for  these  are  excessive,  es- 
pecially when  there  are  already  first-class  vegetables  of 
the  same  general  kind.  It  is  misdirected  economy, 
however,  to  buy  an  inferior  variety.  The  difference  of  a 
few  dollars  less  at  seed-time  often  works  a  damage  of 
many  times  that  amount  at  harvest-time.  Nurserymen 
and  seedsmen  prefer  to  destroy  inferior  seed  or  culls  of 
varieties  they  hold  in  esteem.  This  is  a  commendable 
practice  to  apply  to  all  varieties  by  those  who  grow  seed, 
for  inferior  seed  wastes  the  time  of  the  person  giving  atten- 
tion to  it,  and  damages  the  reputation  of  the  variety. 

Quantity  of  seed  to  sow. 

The  following  table  gives  the  amount  of  seed  required 
for  an  acre,  and  also  the  amount  to  sow  on  a  smaller  area. 
The  last  column  is  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  do 
not  wish  to  grow  the  vegetable  for  market.  A  slight  ac- 
quaintance with  the  seeds  will  make  one  aware  at  once 
that  these  figures  can  only  be  approximately  correct. 


Seeds  and  Seed-Sowing 


45 


Only  the  leading  vegetables  are  here  tabulated;  the 
amount  of  seed  required  must  be  sought  in  the  special 
discussion  of  those  vegetables : 


NAME  OP  PLANT 

QUANTITY  FOR  ONE 
ACBE 

QUANTITY  FOB  SMALLER 
AREA 

Asparagus  
Beans,  bush  sorts  .  .  . 
Beans  pole  .... 

5    Ib. 

libs. 

ibu. 

1  oz.  to  100  ft.  drill 
1  qt.  to  150  ft.  drill 
1  qt.  to  200  hills 

Beets  

10    Ib. 

1  oz.  to  100  ft.  drill 

Cabbage  

5    oz. 

loz.  to  100ft.  drill 

5    oz 

1  oz.  to  100  ft  drill 

Celery  
Collards  .  .  . 

32    oz. 
4    oz. 

1  oz.  to  500  ft.  drill 
1  oz.  to  100  ft.  drill 

Corn  (sweet)  
Cucumbers  
Eggplant 

8    qt. 
lilb. 
3   oz. 

1  qt.  to  500  hills 
1  oz.  to    90  hills 
1  oz.  to  500  ft.  drill 

Lettuce 

3    Ib. 

1  oz.  to  250  ft  drill 

Melon,  musk  .... 
Melon,  water  .... 
Okra  

If  Ib. 
Hlb. 
10   Ib. 

1  oz.  to  100  hills 
1  oz.  to    25  hills 
1  oz.  to    50  ft.  drill 

Onions  

4    Ib. 

1  oz.  to  200  ft.  drill 

Onion  sets 

8    bu. 

1  qt.  to    30  ft  drill 

Peas,  English  .  .  .  . 
Peas,  cow  

l£bu- 
1    bu. 

1  qt.  to  150  ft.  drill 

Pepper 

4   oz. 

1  oz.  to  500  ft.  drill 

Potatoes,  Irish  .... 
Potatoes,  sweet  .... 
Radish  .  ... 

10    bu. 
(refer  to  subject) 
8    Ib. 

1  oz.  to  150  ft  drill 

Salsify  
Spinach  
Squash,  summer  .  .  . 
Squash,  winter  .... 
Tomato  

8    Ib. 
10   Ib. 
2    Ib. 
3    Ib. 
3    oz. 

oz.  to  150  ft.  drill 
oz.  to  150  ft.  drill 
oz.  to   40  hills 
oz.  to    10  hills 
oz.  to  500  ft  drill 

Turnips  

l£lb. 

oz.  to  250  ft.  drill 

46  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

SEED-GROWING 

Seed-growing  has  not  been  followed  to  a  decided  extent 
in  the  South,  and  yet  it  is  highly  commendable.  It  re- 
quires considerable  forethought  and  work  to  grow  the  best 
seed.  In  some  thickly  settled  countries  of  Europe,  large 
estates  are  devoted  entirely  to  the  growing  of  some  special 
seed,  either  because  of  some  peculiar  natural  advantage  or 
because  of  the  special  skill  of  the  grower.  The  Nether- 
lands are  peculiarly  adapted  to  bulb-raising,  Denmark  to 
raising  cauliflower  seed ;  and  thus  we  might  perhaps  con- 
tinue until  nearly  all  the  countries  of  Europe  had  been 
named.  The  possibilities  in  this  direction  for  the  South, 
especially  the  Gulf  region,  are  great;  the  climatic  condi- 
tions in  many  respects  are  perfect,  while  labor  is  fairly 
cheap.  Long  experience  in  India  with  seeds  of  onion, 
cauliflower,  kohlrabi,  English  peas,  globe  artichoke,  tur- 
nips, and  so  on,  has  shown  that  for  the  hotter  part,  lower 
Bengal,  acclimated  seed,  that  is  seed  produced  in  a  warm 
country,  produces  better  plants  than  seed  direct  from 
Europe.  The  plants  from  the  latter  run  more  to  leaf 
and  often  do  not  flower,  and  are  more  subject  to  disease. 
Also  Bermuda  onion  seed  grown  in  Teneriffe  is  the  best 
for  Florida  and  the  West  Indies.  Hence  it  is  probable  that 
acclimated  seed  would  often  or  usually  be  found  best  in 
tropical  countries  near  sea-level  and  that  it  is  preferable 
to  obtain  seed  grown  in  a  climate  as  near  as  possible  to 
that  of  the  locality  where  the  plants  are  to  be  raised. 

How  to  select  plants. 

In  growing  for  seed,  one  should  never  retain  a  sickly  or 
diseased  plant,  because  these  often  transmit  a  tendency  to 


Seeds  and  Seed-Sowing  47 

invite  disease  to  the  product.  Only  the  healthiest  and 
most  desirable  plants  of  a  variety  are  good  for  seed.  Some 
vegetables  cannot  be  raised  from  home-grown  seed; 
in  some  cases  the  seed  does  not  mature,  and  in  others  the 
plants  from  the  home-grown  seed  are  inferior;  a  striking 
example  of  the  latter  class  is  the  Bermuda  onion.  After 
the  finest  specimens  of  the  variety  have  been  selected,  the 
plant  should  be  allowed  to  mature  the  seed  thoroughly 
before  gathering.  There  are  two  directions  in  which  one 
may  select :  first,  one  may  select  the  best  specimens  of 
plants  from  the  standpoint  of  growth  and  shape ;  secondly, 
one  may  select  the  finest  specimens  of  fruit  regardless  of 
the  growth  of  the  plant.  Neither  of  these  methods  is 
perfect  alone,  for  one  should  select  good  fruits  on  good 
plants.  By  such  selecting,  the  variety  is  constantly  im- 
proved until  the  improvement  finally  makes  a  new  strain 
which  will  not  have  the  defects  of  its  ancestors. 

It  sometimes  occurs  that  a  plant  appears  which  is  strik- 
ingly different  from  the  others  in  the  field.  Such  plants 
are  often  designated  "sports";  the  seed  from  these  will 
reproduce  their  peculiarities,  and  by  selecting  the  typical 
specimens  from  the  product  of  such  sports,  new  varieties 
may  be  originated. 

In  tropical  and  subtropical  countries  there  is  much  to  be 
done  in  the  way  of  seed-saving.  Experience  in  India,  for 
example,  has  shown  that  the  seeds  of  many  vegetables 
grown  in  a  warm  climate  will  produce  plants  that  bear 
well  when  plants  from  seeds  imported  from  Europe  run 
to  leaf  only.  But  in  most  tropical  countries,  and  even  in 
Florida,  nearly  all  vegetable  seed  is  still  imported.  There 
is  a  neglected  field  in  the  improvement  of  many  tropical 


48  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

crops  such  as  the  pigeon-pea,  chayote,  Manila  bean,  jack 
bean,  tropical  maize,  and  the  like,  which  are  at  present 
grown  from  seed  only.  If  the  same  selection  were  applied 
to  these  as  is  applied  by  the  nurserymen  of  the  United 
States  and  Europe  to  such  plants  as  the  tomato,  cabbage, 
and  lettuce,  they  would,  like  these  latter  plants,  have 
visibly  improved  varieties  coming  out  nearly  every  year. 
The  vegetable-gardening  world  greatly  needs  a  few  sub- 
tropical seed-raisers  and  one  or  more  tropical  plant- 
breeders. 

SEED-TESTING 

As  so  much  depends  on  having  seed  that  will  germinate 
readily,  it  is  very  important  to  know  exactly  what  to  expect 
in  the  matter.  No  vegetable-grower  should  omit  testing 
the  germinating  power  of  his  seeds  before  sowing  them  on  a 
large  scale.  He  thus  saves  time  and  money.  The  process 
is  simple.  A  hundred  seeds  are  put  between  two  folds  of 
clean  moist  cloth  between  two  pans  or  plates  and  kept 
at  a  proper  temperature.  The  percentage  that  form  roots 
is  counted  after  a  few  days.  A  very  simple  method  is  to 
sow  the  seed  in  sand  or  soil  in  a  pan  that  can  be  kept  con- 
stantly moist  and  warm.  There  is  considerable  risk  con- 
nected with  this  method  and  one  needs  to  exercise  much 
care  and  judgment.  The  amount  of  soil  in  one  of  these 
pans  will  be  small,  and  easily  chilled  and  overheated.  A 
modification  of  the  above  is  to  cover  the  soil  with  a  cloth, 
sow  the  seed  on  this,  cover  the  seed  with  another  cloth, 
and  put  about  half  an  inch  of  moist  sand  on  this  cloth. 
The  advantage  of  this  way  is  that  the  seeds  can  easily  be 
examined  and  in  case  of  their  rotting,  there  is  no  delay  in 


Seeds  and  Seed-Sawing  49 

finding  it  out.  The  seed  also  may  be  tested  in  a  hotbed 
or  coldframe,  using  the  same  precautions  as  when  a  pan  is 
used. 

Several  states  have  seed-control  laboratories  under  the 
direction  of  their  agricultural  experiment  stations.  These 
institutions  test  the  vitality  of  the  seeds  offered  for  sale 
and  examine  them  as  to  purity,  thus  protecting  the  buyers 
from  frauds  and  encouraging  improvements  in  these 
directions.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  much  more  will  be 
accomplished  along  this  line. 

SEED-STORING 

The  length  of  tune  seeds  may  be  stored  without  losing 
their  vitality  depends  largely  upon  the  variety  and  the 
condition  in  which  they  are  kept.  To  keep  well,  seeds 
should  be  well-matured  and  preserved  in  a  dry  apartment. 
Much  has  been  said  as  to  the  germinating  power  of  seeds 
that  have  been  kept  for  hundreds  of  years,  but  these  re- 
ports lack  confirmation  by  scientists.  Some  seeds  that 
have  been  kept  dry  for  thirty  and  forty  years  have  ger- 
minated ;  and  recently,  there  is  an  accurate  account  of  a 
few  seeds  out  of  many  retaining  their  germinating  power  for 
more  than'  eighty  years ;  but  in  all  of  these  cases  this  power 
had  been  greatly  unpaired.  A  few  seeds,  like  those  of  the 
cucumber,  retain  their  vitality  under  proper  conditions  for 
ten  years ;  some  other  seeds  lose  their  vitality  during  the 
first  year,  under  the  most  favorable  conditions.  In  the 
wet  season,  especially  of  subtropical  and  tropical  countries, 
most  seeds  lose  their  vitality  much  faster  than  they  do  in 
temperate  climates.  Heat  and  damp  together  ruin  nearly 


50  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

all  seeds.  In  damp  climates,  between  the  tropics,  one 
cannot  put  packets  of  seeds  in  a  drawer  and  keep  them 
for  years.  Most  seeds  have  to  be  well  dried  and  stored 
in  sealed  bottles.  Many  seeds  deteriorate  on  the  voyage 
from  temperate  to  tropical  regions,  unless  they  are  specially 
dried,  stored  in  cans,  and  soldered  up.  An  easy  way  to 
keep  valuable  seeds  in  a  damp,  hot  tropical  climate  is  to 
store  them  in  stoppered  jars  or  tin  boxes,  sealed  with 
paraffin,  and  place  with  them  a  package  of  fused  calcium 
chloride  or  lumps  of  quick-lime  to  dry  them  well.  Most 
seeds  will  endure  such  desiccation  without  injury  and  are 
then  uninjured  by  the  shade  heat  of  tropical  countries, 
which  is  rarely  over  100°  F.  Where  cold  storage  is  avail- 
able, a  cheap  way  is  to  put  the  seeds  in  water-tight  boxes 
in  the  ice-house.  This  question  of  keeping  seeds  is  of 
great  importance  to  all  agriculturists  in  the  hot  belt  of 
the  earth. 

TROPICAL  SEEDS 

The  tropical  vegetable-grower  may  wish  to  know,  in 
the  absence  of  nurserymen  in  the  tropics,  where  he  may 
get  new  kinds  of  the  different  vegetables  peculiar  to  the 
tropics.  In  most  cases  he  must  go  somewhere  near  the 
original  home  of  the  vegetable  in  question. 

Thus,  for  new  varieties  of  plantain,  recourse  should  be 
had  to  Java  especially,  and  to  the  neighboring  regions; 
for  varieties  of  taro,  to  Hawaii  and  other  Pacific  Islands ; 
for  the  tannias,  to  Porto  Rico  and  other  of  the  Spanish 
West  Indies  and  the  neighboring  mainland ;  for  cassava,  to 
tropical  and  subtropical  South  America,  especially  Brazil, 
Colombia,  and  Paraguay ;  for  papayas  and  chayotes,  to 


Seeds  and  Seed-Sowing  51 

Central  America  and  the  West  Indies;  for  different 
yams,  to  southeastern  Asia,  Pacific  Islands,  and  West 
Indies. 

Tropical  seeds  may  he  procured  from  dealers  in  Ceylon, 
British  India,  South  Africa,  and  Australia,  or  by  exchange 
with  the  botanical  gardens  in  many  tropical  countries. 
Subtropical  seeds  and  roots  can  be  had  from  nurserymen 
and  seedsmen  in  California,  Florida,  Cape  Colony,  Natal, 
New  South  Wales,  Queensland,  Japan,  and  the  Mediterra- 
nean region. 


CHAPTER  VII 
PLANTING 

IT  is  worth  while  to  take  much  pains  to  protect  young 
vegetable  plants  and  to  give  them  the  very  best  conditions 
to  get  a  start  in  life.  Much  of  the  subsequent  result  will 
depend  on  this  care  in  the  beginning.  Gardeners  go  to 
much  expense  and  labor  to  provide  such  protection  and 
to  secure  earliness.  The  various  kinds  of  frames  and 
seed-beds  may  therefore  be  discussed. 

COLDFRAMES 

Four  points  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  one  is  select- 
ing the  place  for  a  coldframe.  (1)  It  must  be  sheltered 
from  cold  winds,  that  is,  it  should  be  in  a  warm  spot ; 
there  should  be  a  windbreak  of  some  kind ;  the  bed  should 
be  free  to  the  full  sun  all  day  (the  south  side  of  the  barn 
may  be  used  in  some  cases).  (2)  It  must  be  protected 
from  rains ;  the  dripping  of  eaves  must  be  carried  away 
and  the  surface  drained  so  that  water  will  not  run  under. 
(3)  Water  must  be  near  at  hand,  or  the  needed  supply 
may  not  be  applied.  (4)  It  must  be  near  one's  house  or 
near  one's  daily  work,  so  as  to  require  the  least  possible 
time  to  look  after  it. 

Glazed  sashes  are  of  value  in  using  a  coldframe  success- 
fully, but  they  are  not  indispensable.  These  sashes  can 
52 


Planting  53 

be  purchased  set  up  and  glazed  in  various  sizes ;  probably 
the  most  convenient  size  is  three  feet  by  six  feet,  which 
can  be  obtained  in  the  market  for  about  SI. 50  apiece.  In 
the  colder  parts  of  the  subtropics,  only  a  few  days  occur 
during  the  usual  winters  when  the  thermometer  will  re- 
main below  freezing  if  the  sun  shines.  When  glazed  sashes 
are  not  used,  some  form  of  cloth  will  be  required.  There 
may  be  found  on  the  market  a  cloth  prepared  for  that 
purpose ;  this  comes  in  three  grades.  The  best  of  these 
grades  will  be  found  the  cheapest  in  the  end.  By  using  a 
double  thickness  of  the  best  cloth,  eggplants  were  carried 
through  a  freeze  of  14°  F.,  in  a  hotbed,  when  the  tempera- 
ture remained  below  the  freezing  point  for  several  days. 
As  eggplants  are  among  the  most  tender  plants,  it  will 
readily  be  understood  that  other  ordinary  plants  can  be 
carried  through  easily.  During  the  same  freeze,  lettuce- 
plants  came  through  safely  under  a  single  thickness  of  cloth 
over  a  coldframe. 

The  best  width  for  a  coldframe  is  6  feet.  At  this  width, 
all  the  cultivating  and  other  attention  can  be  given  without 
entering  the  frame,  and  lumber  cuts  economically  to  this 
length.  The  length  of  the  frame  must  depend  upon  in- 
dividual desire  and  preparation.  Beds  made  6  feet  wide 
are  run  east  and  west,  but  if  it  is  desirable  to  run  the  beds 
north  and  south,  they  should  be  made  12  feet  wide.  In 
such  a  frame,  the  cloth  is  fastened  to  a  pole  along  the 
middle  as  a  ridge-pole,  and  allowed  to  unroll  roof-shape 
on  each  side.  All  materials  used  in  the  construction  may 
be  1  inch  thick.  The  back  or  north  sides  should  be  26 
inches  high,  and  the  south  sides  10  inches  high.  When 
glazed  sashes  are  used,  a  pitch  of  4  inches  is  sufficient  — 


54  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

that  is,  the  front  is  made  10  inches  high  and  the  back 
14.  But  experience  has  taught  that  this  pitch  is  not  suffi- 
cient for  frames  covered  with  plant-cloth.  The  sides  are 
nailed  to  4-inch  boards  that  are  driven  into  the  ground 
6  feet  apart.  The  ends  of  the  frame  are  trimmed  to  an 
even  slope.  At  intervals  of  6  feet,  3-inch  pieces  are  dove- 
tailed into  the  front  and  back,  to  steady  the  sides,  and  to 
hold  the  protecting  cloth  from  bagging. 

The  protecting  cloth  is  sewn  into  a  sheet  large  enough  to 
cover  an  entire  frame.  The  seams  run  crosswise  for 
obvious  reasons.  The  sheet  is  fastened  to  the  back  and 
then  stretched  over  the  frame ;  and  just  far  enough  over 
the  front  to  press  the  cloth  down  tightly,  a  strip  is  nailed 
to  serve  as  a  roller  for  a  curtain.  By  turning  at  one  end, 
the  whole  curtain  may  be  raised  and  fastened  at  the  top ; 
when  it  is  wanted  for  use,  the  fastening  is  loosened  and 
the  curtain  unrolls  itself,  at  the  same  time  shutting  the 
whole  frame  up  for  the  night.  The  woodwork  and  cloth 
for  a  frame  6  feet  wide  and  30  feet  long  should  not  cost  more 
than  $2.50. 

The  soil  in  coldframes  should  be  made  very  fertile  by 
using  commercial  fertilizer,  or,  preferably,  compost.  Make 
the  soil  about  6  inches  deep,  using  as  much  well-rotted 
compost  as  soil.  The  fertilizer  if  used  must  be  worked 
in  thoroughly,  and  the  frame  thus  prepared  allowed  to 
stand  ten  days  or  two  weeks,  all  the  time  keeping  it 
thoroughly  moistened.  A  coldframe  is  as  valuable  in 
the  summer  as  in  the  winter.  In  the  summer,  the  cloth 
is  raised  to  allow  the  air  to  pass  under,  thus  protecting 
small  plants  from  the  scorching  sun.  In  the  management 
of  a  coldframe,  and  of  a  hotbed,  plenty  of  water  is 


Planting  55 

indispensable,  and  it  must  be  applied  in  liberal  quantities 
daily. 

Cheese-cloth  may  be  put  over  a  frame  to  screen  seedlings 
from  the  sun,  and  mosquito-bar  will  keep  insects  away  from 
young  cabbages,  and  the  like. 

HOTBEDS 

This  convenient  form  of  plant-bed  is  perhaps  not  as 
generally  used  in  the  almost  frostless  regions  as  it  merits ; 
probably  from  the  fact  that  many  persons  do  not  under- 
stand the  principles  underlying  its  successful  operation. 
It  is  used  to  grow  early  plants  of  eggplant,  tomato,  and 
other  vegetables  which  will  not  endure  any  frost. 

When  undecomposed  manure,  leaves,  or  other  vegetable 
matter  begin  to  decay,  a  certain  amount  of  heat  is  given 
off ;  if  the  pile  is  large  and  in  a  compact  heap,  the  amount 
of  heat  evolved  will  be  considerable.  This  is  due  to  the 
breaking  down  of  the  vegetable  matter  through  the  actions 
of  low  forms  of  life,  such  as  bacteria  and  molds.  This 
breaking  down  takes  place  in  the  presence  of  moisture; 
vegetable  matter  stored  in  a  dry  state  will  remain  unde- 
composed for  an  indefinite  time.  It  is  possible  for  every 
one  who  keeps  a  horse  or  cow  to  provide  himself  with  a 
hotbed. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  season  the  manure  may  be 
stored  away  dry,  and  kept  so ;  and  when  the  time  to  fix  a 
hotbed  arrives,  it  may  be  prepared  in  a  similar  way  to  a 
compost  heap. 

The  same  four  points  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  one 
is  selecting  the  place  for  a  hotbed  as  when  locating  a  cold- 
frame.  See  page  52. 


56  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  frame  for  a  hotbed  is  made  like  that  of  a  coldframe 
and  covered  with  glazed  sash  or  plant-cloth. 

When  the  frame  for  the  hotbed  has  been  completed, 
the  undecomposed  manure  is  placed  in  it  to  the  depth  of 
6  to  10  inches.  It  is  usually  necessary  to  remove  some  of 
the  earth  inside  the  frame ;  this  can  be  used  to  bank  it  on 
the  outside.  As  the  manure  is  placed  in  the  frame,  it 
should  be  thoroughly  soaked  and  tramped  down.  In  two 
or  three  days  this  will  begin  to  heat,  and  will  continue  to 
rise  in  temperature  for  eight  or  ten  days,  and  will  often 
rise  high,  running  considerably  over  a  hundred  degrees. 
If  the  bed  is  kept  moist  (and  this  can  be  tested  by  digging 
into  parts  of  it),  there  is  no  danger  of  its  "  burning."  This 
does  not  mean  that  there  is  any  danger  of  its  actually 
generating  fire,  but  the  material  becomes  dry  and  dis- 
charges valuable  fertilizing  quality  in  the  form  of  gases, 
and  hence  is  about  destroyed.  When  large  quantities  of 
fresh  manure  are  used,  the  gardeners  dump  it  in  piles  and 
fork  it  over  every  day  or  two  to  keep  it  cool  enough, 
and  at  the  end  of  ten  days  or  two  weeks  place  it  in  the 
hotbed. 

After  the  manure  has  been  placed  in  the  frame,  an  inch 
of  fresh  loam  should  be  spread  over  it,  to  arrest  any  gases 
that  may  be  escaping.  After  about  ten  days  of  fermenting, 
the  manure  has  reached  its  highest  temperature,  and  seed 
can  be  sown  in  the  loam  without  danger.  From  this  time 
on,  the  temperature  falls  gradually,  until  decomposition 
is  complete. 

The  only  advantage  of  a  hotbed  over  a  coldframe  is 
that  the  decomposing  matter  gives  off  heat,  and  the 
amount  of  heat  given  off  will  vary  with  the  amount  of 


Planting  57 

manure  used.  If  one  desires  to  keep  a  bed  especially 
warm,  the  frame  may  be  banked  outside  with  fresh 
manure. 

PLANT-SHEDS 

In  Florida  it  has  been  found  advantageous  to  grow  the 
choicer  kinds  of  pineapples  under  sheds.  These  sheds 
may  be  made  by  setting  8§-foot  posts  8  feet  apart  north 
and  south,  by  14  feet  east  and  west.  Stringers  2  by  6 
inches  and  15  feet  long  are  fastened  on  the  tops  of  the 
posts  in  east  and  west  lines.  Across  the  stringers  are 
nailed  the  laths  or  slats,  which  may  be  1  or  3  inches  by  16 
feet;  or  laths  supported  by  wires  may  be  used.  The 
spaces  between  the  slats  may  be  once,  twice,  or  thrice  the 
width  of  a  slat.  These  sheds  were  first  started  to  give 
protection  from  frosts,  but  it  was  found  that  pineapples 
under  sheds  grew  better  and  required  less  fertilizer,  and 
the  soil  kept  moister  in  dry  weather,  than  was  the  case 
with  those  in  the  open.  Similar  sheds  are  now  used  in 
south  Florida  nurseries  to  shelter  young  mangoes,  avoca- 
does,  palms,  and  other  tropical  plants  and  fruit-trees. 
The  so-called  grass  conservatories,  used  in  India  for  grow- 
ing plants  which  do  not  endure  well  the  full  blaze  of  the 
sun  in  the  hot  season,  are  made  in  a  similar  way,  except 
that  they  are  covered  with  wire  netting  on  which  a  reed- 
like  grass  is  bound  so  as  to  give  half-light  and  half-shade. 
In  most  tropical  and  some  subtropical  countries,  bamboos 
can  readily  be  grown  and  a  plant-shed  covered  with  split 
bamboo  lath  can  be  constructed  cheaply.  However, 
most  tropical  plant-sheds  are  small,  whereas  some  Florida 
pineapple  sheds  cover  scores  of  acres  continuously.  The 


58  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

mistake  must  not  be  made  of  letting  creepers  grow  over 
the  top  of  the  shed,  and  so  shut  out  nearly  all  light.  With 
most  of  the  sunlight  cut  off,  plants  make  a  poor  growth  and 
may  easily  become  diseased.  In  fact,  one  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  plant-sheds  in  the  tropics,  as  distinguished 
from  shading  by  palm  leaves,  woven  coconut  leaves,  and 
the  like,  is  that  by  proper  spacing  of  the  laths  the  plants 
can  be  allowed  the  maximum  of  sunlight  with  which 
they  will  thrive  best.  There  is  often  a  tendency  to  use 
too  much  shade.  In  making  a  plant-shed,  it  should  always 
be  kept  in  mind  that  a  plant  can  feed  on  the  carbon 
dioxide  of  the  air  only  in  the  light,  and  that  an  amount 
of  shade  which  is  comfortable  to  a  man  in  the  tropics  is 
detrimental  to  most  plants.  Certain  experiments  make  it 
probable  that  under  such  large  plant-sheds,  the  culture  of 
many  temperate  vegetables  would  be  easier  in  tropical 
and  subtropical  lands.  This  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
tried  on  a  large  scale,  but  it  appears  worth  attempting 
near  some  tropical  towns  where  there  would  be  a  con- 
stant demand  for  fresh  temperate  vegetables.  Such 
sheds  would  probably  be  very  successful  at  an  elevation 
of  1000  or  2000  feet. 


SEED-BEDS  AND  PLANT-BEDS 

Seed-beds  should  be  of  porous  soil  and  well  drained. 
After  sowing  the  seeds,  protection  from  the  sun  may  be 
given  by  spreading  coarse  sacking  on  the  soil  and  keeping 
it  wet  until  the  seedlings  become  visible  above  the  earth. 
Then  they  may  be  shaded  by  a  properly  spaced  lath  frame, 
or  by  cheese-cloth.  The  latter  is  especially  useful  when 


Planting  59 

the  seedlings  are  liable  to  insect  attacks,  in  which  case  it 
may  be  fastened  to  a  plank  frame.  Lath  frames  of  differ- 
ent spacings  may  be  used  gradually  to  accustom  the  seed- 
lings to  the  sun.  (See  Plate  V.) 

Seedlings,  after  growing  to  a  size  easily  handled,  are 
planted  in  a  bed  for  further  maturing ;  this  is  especially 
so  when  large  quantities  of  tomato,  cabbage,  or  celery 
plants  are  wanted.  The  advantage  of  having  these  plants 
in  as  small  a  space  as  practicable  is  apparent  to  all.  The 
plant-bed  must  be  fertile,  and  plenty  of  water  must  be  at 
hand  to  be  used  in  case  of  need.  The  ground  should  be 
raked  carefully,  the  fertilizer  applied,  and  the  bed  spaded 
or  plowed  and  then  raked  again.  The  bed  should  lie  a 
week  or  ten  days  to  allow  the  fertilizer  to  be  incorporated, 
when  the  plants  may  be  set  out.  Plants  should  not  be 
allowed  to  become  checked  in  their  growth  at  any  tune.  It 
does  plants  good  to  be  transferred  several  times,  and  with 
some  vegetables  such  transplanting  is  profitable;  but 
for  plants  to  come  to  a  standstill  for  want  of  water  or 
fertilizer  works  a  detriment  that  is  strikingly  noticeable 
in  the  crop.  Hence,  in  the  transplantings,  care  should 
be  taken  as  to  moisture,  temperature,  and  soil,  so  that 
growth  may  not  be  checked. 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  LAND 

To  make  vegetable-growing  a  success,  it  is  necessary 
to  select  the  proper  kind  of  land.  Nearly  all  vegetables 
like  a  sandy  loam  or  some  other  rather  light  soil,  that  is 
at  the  same  time  well  drained  and  yet  not  thirsty. 


60  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Well-drained  land. 

It  frequently  occurs  that  the  very  best  vegetable  land 
is  soggy  and  sour  in  its  original  state.  When  a  piece  of 
land  is  found  that  is  excellent  in  all  other  respects,  but 
needs  to  be  well  drained,  the  problem  then  is,  how  shall 
this  be  effected.  When  there  is  plenty  of  fall  to  the  land, 
this  may  be  accomplished  in  one  of  two  ways  —  either  by 
surface  drainage  or  by  underground  drainage.  The  latter 
method  is  preferable  and  cheaper  in  the  end,  though  more 
expensive  in  the  beginning. 

The  method  of  surface  drainage  has  the  advantage  of 
being  cheap  and  easily  accomplished,  though  it  takes  some 
time  and  attention  to  keep  it  in  good  running  order.  The 
method  is  simple.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  make  a  ditch 
from  one  to  three  feet  deep  and  to  keep  this  open  so  that 
the  water  will  run  off. 

The  advantage  of  draining  has  been  demonstrated 
repeatedly  in  this  country  and  in  Europe.  Plants  on 
tile-drained  land,  and  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  on  land 
with  open  ditches,  will  do  better  during  a  rainy  season, 
and,  what  seems  rather  contradictory,  they  will  give  a 
larger  yield  in  dry  years.  Crops  are  also  earlier  on 
drained  fields.  In  a  clay  country,  land  that  is  well 
drained  naturally  will  be  benefited  by  a  well-planned 
system  of  tile  drains.  Where  land  that  is  naturally 
well  drained  can  be  obtained,  this  is  of  course  preferable, 
as  it  does  away  with  the  initial  expense  of  draining; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the 
land  producing  the  largest  and  most  profitable  crop  is 
drained  land. 


Planting  61 

Clearing  the  land. 

In  making  a  beginning  in  vegetable-growing,  it  is  best 
to  start  aright.  The  greater  part  of  our  unimproved  land 
has  to  be  cleared,  and  this  should  be  done  thoroughly; 
every  stalk,  stick,  or  chunk  should  be  removed  from  the 
field.  It  is  a  waste  of  time  and  money  to  go  into  vegetable- 
growing  as  a  temporary  vocation;  it  is  as  deserving  of 
and  demands  as  constant  and  careful  attention  as  any 
other  branch  of  horticulture.  Therefore  if  one  can  only 
half  clear  ten  acres,  it  would  be  better  completely  to  clear 
five  acres.  It  has  been  seen  repeatedly  that  a  small 
piece  of  land  well  taken  care  of  brings  a  greater  return  than 
double  the  amount  poorly  cared  for.  The  familiar  adage, 
"What  is  worth  doing,  is  worth  doing  well,"  has  full  force 
in  vegetable-growing. 

Plowing. 

If  the  soil  is  light  and  sandy,  deep  plowing  may  prove 
detrimental  to  a  field  that  is  to  be  planted  immediately, 
but  some  time  during  the  year  it  should  be  stirred  deeply 
and  well.  The  subsoil  is  often  so  hard  that  the  roots  of 
the  plant  cannot  enter,  and  so  must  remain  near  the  sur- 
face and  be  at  the  mercy  of  any  short  drought  that  may 
occur;  whereas,  if  the  soil  were  twice  as  deep,  it  could 
stand  a  much  longer  drought.  Many  subsoils  do  not 
allow  the  water  to  soak  through  them ;  other  subsoils 
let  the  surplus  water  through  slowly.  In  either  case, 
the  mechanical  condition  of  the  soil  would  be  improved 
by  an  occasional  deep  plowing.  Besides  giving  the  roots  a 
greater  feeding  space,  the  tilling  of  the  soil  acts  as  a  kind 


62  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

of  regulator ;  it  makes  soggy  land  drier  and  dry  land  to 
conserve  the  moisture  in  time  of  drought.  A  cultivated 
soil  can  hold  more  water  without  being  soggy  than  one 
not  tilled;  in  a  sudden  shower  a  plowed  field  will  retain 
all  the  water  and  give  the  roots  of  plants  a  chance  to  ab- 
sorb the  fertilizer  before  it  is  carried  off.  Much  of  our 
sandy  soil  allows  the  fertilizer  to  be  leached  out  by  the 
rains  and  retains  not  even  a  trace  in  the  soluble  form ;  but 
if  this  water  were  retained  in  the  soil  the  fertilizer  would 
be  retained  also.  The  amount  of  water  a  soil  can  retain 
depends  upon  the  constituent  particles  of  that  soil. 

TRANSPLANTING 

Soon  after  plants  that  have  been  sown  in  a  seed-bed 
begin  to  show  the  second  or  third  leaf,  they  will  need  to  be 
shifted  and  set  further  apart,  or  they  will  grow  spindly. 
Then,  also,  their  root  system  will  be  developed  very  poorly, 
and  after  transplanting  they  will  either  have  to  change 
their  entire  make-up  as  a  plant  or  die ;  either  one  of  the 
two  is  expensive,  as  it  loses  time  for  the  vegetable-grower. 
Some  plants,  as  cabbage  and  cauliflower,  will  do  well  with 
one  shifting;  others,  as  tomatoes  and  eggplants,  will  do 
better  when  shifted  two  or  three  times.  A  very  good  way 
is  to  grow  the  plants  from  seed  in  a  hotbed,  then  shift 
them  to  a  coldframe;  this  will  have  to  be  many  times 
larger  than  the  hotbed  to  hold  the  same  plants.  It  will 
not  take  long  for  the  plants  to  fill  the  space  allowed  them 
(for  distance  and  other  special  points  refer  to  the  accounts 
of  the  special  crops) ;  then  another  transfer  will  have  to  be 
made  either  to  a  coldframe  or  to  a  plant-bed,  depending  on 


Planting  63 

the  variety  and  the  time  of  the  year.  As  mentioned 
before,  the  soil  should  contain  much  vegetable  matter.  If 
this  precaution  is  taken,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  wait 
for  a  rain  or  to  use  water  in  transplanting.  If  paper  pots 
(which  can  be  bought  for  two  or  three  dollars  a  thousand) 
are  used,  the  plant  can  be  transplanted  from  the  plant-bed 
to  the  field  quickly  and  without  any  shock. 

In  fertilizing  the  land  preparatory  to  transplanting,  the 
material  should  be  worked  in  and  mixed  with  the  soil 
thoroughly.  No  matter  how  small  the  particles  of  fer- 
tilizer may  be  in  the  soil,  the  plants  will  find  them.  A 
thorough  distribution  is  very  necessary.  Plants  cannot 
take  in  such  substances  wholesale;  while  some  kinds  of 
fertilizer  do  not  kill  a  plant  when  used  in  big  lumps,  a  very 
large  portion  of  such  doses  is  not  available,  or  only  so 
after  considerable  time.  Too  much  fertilizer  is  rarely 
used,  but  it  is  often  used  indiscreetly. 

The  best  time  to  transplant  is  just  before  a  rain;  but 
when  there  are  ten  or  twenty  acres  to  be  planted,  the  work 
must  go  ahead  when  the  proper  time  comes,  whether  there 
is  a  rain  or  not.  It  is  no  easy  task  to  put  out  and  water 
an  acre  of  tomatoes  or  half  an  acre  of  cabbage  in  a  day. 

Much  of  this  hard  work  may  be  avoided  by  using  a 
transplanter.  Many  machines  have  been  constructed 
and  put  on  the  market  to  do  this  work.  Some  are  operated 
by  hand,  allowing  a  person  to  stand  in  a  partially  erect 
position.  They  do  the  work  more  or  less  efficiently, 
but  for  the  lack  of  perfection,  none  has  come  into  general 
use.  There  are  also  machines  that  are  drawn  by  horses, 
but  the  plants  must  be  put  in  place  by  hand.  Some  of 
these  machines  do  excellent  work,  and  would  be  used 


64 


Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


generally  except  that  the  prices  are  so  high  that  many 
growers  cannot  buy  them.  The  greatest  advantage  in 
the  machine  drawn  by  horses  is  that  a  regulated  quan- 
tity of  water  is  emptied  wherever  a  plant  is  to  be  placed. 
To  use  one  of  these  machines  to  the  best  advantage,  the 
land  must  be  free  from  debris.  Stumps  and  trees  are  also 
in  the  way.  The  acreage  that  can  be  planted  in  a  day 
depends  upon  the  crop  and  the  condition  of  the  land. 
It  is  said  that  six  or  seven  acres  of  tomatoes  can  be  set  in 
one  day's  work. 


DISTANCE 

BETWEEN 
THE  ROWS 

lleg 

iHSi 

H£i 

i  3  Q  • 

I^SBB 
!§£g3 

g  z  $ 

If! 
Ill 

DISTANCE 

BETWEEN 

PLANTS  IN 
THE  Row 

sit. 
8*  IS  8 

fc  otf  £•< 

Ft.        In. 

Ft.        In. 

Ft.        In. 

Ft.        In. 

0          6 

0          6 

174,240 

3        0 

1          0 

14,520 

0        7 

0        7 

128,013 

3        0 

1        6 

9,680 

0        8 

0        8 

98,010 

3        0 

2        0 

7,260 

1        0 

0        1 

522,720 

3        0 

2        6 

5,808 

1        0 

0        6 

87,120 

3        0 

3        0 

4,840 

1        0 

1        0 

43,560 

4        0 

0        6 

21,780 

1        6 

0        1 

348,480 

4        0 

0        9 

14,520 

1        6 

0        6 

58,080 

4        0 

1        0 

10,890 

1        6 

1        0 

29,040 

4        0 

1        6 

7,260 

1        6 

1        6 

19,360 

4        0 

2        0 

5,445 

2        0 

0        3 

87,120 

4        0 

2        6 

4,356 

2        0 

0        6 

43,560 

4        0 

3        0 

3,630 

2        0 

1        0 

21,780 

4        0 

3        6 

3,111 

2        0 

1        6 

14,520 

4        0 

4        0 

2,722 

2        0 

2        0 

10,890 

5        0 

5        0 

1,742 

3        0 

0        6 

29,040 

6        0 

5        0 

1,452 

3        0 

0        9 

19,360 

6        0 

6        0 

1,210 

Planting  65 


NUMBER  OF   PLANTS  TO  THE  ACRE 

The  preceding  table  gives  the  number  of  plants  to  the 
acre  when  they  are  set  out  at  given  distances.  If  it  is 
desired  to  find  the  number  of  plants  required  to  set  an 
acre  at  distances  not  given  in  the  table  below,  it  can  be 
done  by  a  slight  amount  of  thought.  The  number  of 
plants  for  1  inch  asunder  in  the  row  are  given.  If,  then, 
plants  are  set  2  inches  apart,  the  field  will  require  just  half 
as  many;  if  3  inches,  just  one- third  as  many  as  when  1 
inch  apart;  and  if  7  inches  apart,  just  one-seventh  the 
number. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
PESTS   AND  DISEASES 

IN  all  tropical  and  subtropical  countries,  it  is  as  necessary 
to  be  prepared  for  combating  insect  pests  and  fungous 
diseases  of  plants  as  to  be  prepared  to  till  the  soil  and 
fertilize  the  plants. 

Insects  and  fungi  are  as  resistant  to  cold  as  are  plants 
which  are  cultivated,  and  these  multiply  with  very  great 
rapidity  and  are  present  in  very  large  quantities  through- 
out all  regions  where  vegetable  crops  are  grown.  There 
is  no  escaping  these  enemies,  and  hence  they  must  be 
combated  by  the  best  known  methods. 

Considerable  attention  has  already  been  paid  to  de- 
veloping varieties  that  are  resistant  to  certain  diseases 
in  certain  localities.  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that  this 
line  of  investigation  can  be  carried  speedily  to  the  point 
where  the  plants  will  be  resistant  to  all  of  the  numerous 
diseases.  The  moment  we  have  plants  that  are  resistant 
to  the  wilts  diseases,  for  example,  we  find  that  they  are 
still  subject  to  an  attack  from  other  enemies. 

It  is  frequently  stated  that  by  proper  cultivation  and 
fertilization  plants  will  be  able  to  throw  off  diseases  and 
insects.  This  is  quite  incorrect;  a  plant  vigorous  and 
healthy  in  every  respect,  is  so  simply  because  it  has  not 
been  attacked  or  had  to  endure  the  disadvantageous  con- 
66 


Pests  and  Diseases  67 

dition  of  a  plant  which  is  not  healthy,  and  frequently  a 
reasonably  good  crop  will  be  matured  on  a  field  that  is 
attacked  by  one  enemy  only,  while  if  attacked  by  two  or 
more,  it  would  fail  to  give  a  profitable  return. 

POISONOUS  INSECTICIDES 

The  first  attempts  at  protecting  plants  against  insects 
and  diseases  were  made  by  combating  leaf-feeding 
insects.  Their  damage  was  the  more  obvious  and  the 
method  of  control  required  less  ingenuity  than  for  handling 
the  sucking  insects  and  for  diseases. 

Paris  green  was  among  the  first  of  the  poisonous  insecti- 
cides to  be  used  and  is  applicable  to  all  leaf -eating  insects 
and  smaller  animals.  About  a  teaspoonful  should  be 
used  to  a  gallon  of  water,  or  a  more  accurate  measure 
would  be  to  use  \  pound  paris  green  to  50  gallons  of  water. 
The  mixture  must  be  constantly  agitated ;  otherwise,  the 
poison  will  settle  to  the  bottom  and  the  application  will  be 
uneven,  resulting  in  a  scalding  of  some  of  the  plants  and 
the  others  not  receiving  enough  poison  to  protect  them. 
Paris  green  is  now  little  used,  the  arsenate  of  lead  and 
other  materials  taking  its  place. 

Arsenate  of  lead  usually  comes  in  a  paste  form,  the 
package  usually  having  printed  upon  it  the  formula  neces- 
sary for  its  use.  Generally  speaking,  1  to  5  pounds  to 
50  gallons  of  water  will  be  found  to  be  the  correct  quantity. 
It  is  less  caustic  than  paris  green  and  can  be  used  in  many 
places  where  the  latter  cannot.  It  also  comes  in  a 
powdered  form,  when  it  may  be  mixed  with  some  inert 
materials  such  as  flour  and  air-slaked  lime  and  these  be 


68  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

dusted  over  the  plants  in  place   of  being  applied  as  a 
liquid. 

Zinc  arsenite  is  a  new  arsenical  compound  that  has  shown 
itself  to  be  applicable  where  lead  arsenate  may  prove  too 
caustic.  It  usually  comes  in  a  powdered  form.  One 
pound  of  zinc  arsenite  to  50  gallons  of  water  should  be 
used,  or  it  may  be  mixed  with  flour  or  air-slaked  lime  and 
dusted  on,  as  in  the  case  of  paris  green  and  powdered 
lead  arsenate. 


CONTACT  INSECTICIDES 

The  success  attained  by  using  the  poisonous  insecticides 
gave  a  strong  impetus  to  the  investigation  which  had  for 
its  purpose  the  control  of  insects  that  feed  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  plants  and  so  are  immune  from  poisonous 
insecticides. 

Kerosene  emulsion  was  the  first  of  the  contact  insecti- 
cides that  came  into  general  use.  It  is  rather  easy  to 
prepare,  and  since  kerosene  (coal  oil)  is  found  almost  con- 
stantly in  the  farm  home,  it  can  be  made  up  without 
much  difficulty.  One-half  pound  of  hard  soap  should  be 
dissolved  in  1  gallon  of  water.  This  can  be  done  best  by 
chipping  the  soap  and  letting  it  drop  into  boiling  water. 
The  soap  solution  should  be  removed  from  the  fire,  and 
2  gallons  of  kerosene  poured  into  it.  Then  the  mixture 
should  be  thoroughly  agitated  by  means  of  the  spraying 
pump.  In  a  short  time  a  thick,  creamy  mass  will  have 
formed.  The  hotter  the  water,  the  quicker  the  emulsion 
will  form.  As  soon  as  no  free  oil  forms  at  the  top  of  the 
emulsion  on  straining,  the  emulsion  may  be  said  to  be 


Pests  and  Diseases  69 

formed.  One  part  of  this  kerosene  emulsion  should  be 
used  to  15  or  20  of  water. 

Whale-oil  soap  or  fish-oil  soap  is  a  commercial  article 
prepared  especially  for  treating  insects.  The  amount  to 
be  used  will  vary  with  the  concentration  of  the  soap  and 
the  kind  of  insect  to  be  treated.  For  soft-bodied  insects, 
such  as  aphides,  1  pound  to  6  or  8  gallons  of  water  will  be 
found  useful.  For  more  resistant  insects,  such  as  the 
plant  bugs,  a  concentration  of  1  pound  to  4  gallons  may 
be  needed. 

Soda-sulfur  spray  will  be  found  especially  useful  for 
very  soft-bodied  insects  such  as  aphides,  rust  mites,  and 
also  for  red-spider.  For  the  last  named,  it  is  probably 
the  most  efficient  insecticide  known. 

Caustic  soda  (98  per  cent),  1  pound. 
Flowers  of  sulfur,  2  pounds. 
Water,  2  gallons. 

The  sulfur  should  be  mixed  in  cold  water  to  a  thick  paste, 
the  soda  added,  and  as  it  boils  water  added  gradually  to 
make  20  gallons.  This  water  should  be  added  fast  enough 
to  prevent  burning,  but  not  fast  enough  to  stop  boiling. 
The  result  will  be  a  dark  coffee-colored  liquid.  It  should 
be  strained  through  a  fine-meshed  cloth  or  spray-strainer 
and  kept  in  tightly  corked  jugs.  One-half  gallon  of  this 
stock  solution  should  be  mixed  in  40  gallons  of  water  when 
ready  to  use. 

Tobacco-sulfur  spray  is  especially  efficient  for  treating 
thrips,  particularly  when  infesting  the  bloom  of  vegetables 
and  causing  them  to  drop. 


70  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Commercial  lime  sulfur  solution,  2$  quarts. 
Black-leaf  "40",  3$  fluid  ounces. 
Water,  50  gallons. 

If  the  leaf-eating  insects  are  present  and  need  to  be  treated 
at  the  same  time,  substitute  from  1  to  3  pounds  of  lead 
aresenate  in  the  place  of  the  lime  sulfur  solution. 

Commercial  lime  sulfur  solution  usually  can  be  obtained 
from  seedsmen,  fertilizer  houses  and  supply  dealers.  It 
may  be  used  in  places  where  the  soda  sulfur  solution  is 
recommended.  The  usual  concentration  is  such  that  1 
gallon  of  this  may  be  used  to  25  to  50  gallons  of 
water. 

Lime-sulfur  solution  —  self  boiled  can  be  used  in  the  place 
of  a  soda  sulfur  solution  and  will  be  found  to  be  more  or 
less  effective  in  controlling  some  of  the  plant  diseases. 

Fresh  stone  lime,  8  pounds. 
Flowers  or  flour  of  sulfur,  8  pounds. 

The  lime  should  be  placed  in  a  tub  and  enough  water  added 
to  cover.  As  soon  as  the  lime  begins  to  generate  heat 
enough  to  cause  the  water  to  boil,  the  sulfur  is  added  by 
sifting  it  through  a  sieve.  The  mixture  should  be  con- 
stantly stirred  and  more  water  added  at  first,  making  it  a 
thick  paste  and  then  more  water  gradually  added  to  thin 
it  down.  The  lime  will  supply  enough  heat  to  keep  the 
mixture  boiling  for  several  minutes.  As  soon  as  it  is  well 
slaked,  more  water  is  added  to  keep  the  mixture  from 
further  cooking.  If  the  cooking  is  allowed  to  continue 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  the  solution  becomes  caustic 
to  tender  foliage,  such  as  the  peach.  It  is  important,  there- 
fore, to  stop  the  cooking  at  the  right  point.  The  solu- 


Pests  and  Diseases  71 

tion  is  strained  and  diluted  to  50  gallons  and  applied 
at  once. 

Bean  spray.  —  Beans  are  notably  sensitive  to  scalding 
from  arsenical  insecticides.  However,  it  becomes  advis- 
able at  times  to  use  these  poisons  on  the  bean  crop. 
The  following  formula  may  be  used  to  good  advantage 
and  without  much  danger  of  scalding : 

Lime  sulfur  solution,  1  quart. 
Lead  arsenate  paste,  8  ounces. 
Water,  50  gallons. 

Miscible  oils.  —  A  considerable  number  of  these  mix- 
able  oils  may  be  obtained  on  the  market.  Prominent 
among  them  are  the  Target  Brand  and  Schnarr's  Insect- 
icide. Yothers'  Formula  No.  3  may  be  easily  prepared 
if  it  is  found  advantageous. 

Caustic  potash  whale-oil  soap,  8  pounds. 
Diamond  paraffin  oil,  28°  Baume,  2  gallons. 
Water,  1  gallon. 

The  soap  should  be  heated  to  melt  it  to  an  oily  consistency, 
then  the  paraffin  oil  added  gradually,  beating  the  soap 
and  oil  vigorously  while  the  oil  is  being  added.  The  beat- 
ing is  continued  for  some  time  afterwards  and  the  mixture 
is  thoroughly  combined.  The  gallon  of  water  may  then 
be  added.  To  test  the  mixture,  a  small  quantity  is  poured 
into  a  glass  of  water  and  if  free  oil  floats  on  the  surface,  the 
stirring  must  be  continued  or  more  soap  added.  One 
part  of  the  mixture  should  be  used  to  200  or  300  parts 
water. 


72  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Poison  bait  becomes  very  useful  in  combating  cut- 
worms, grasshoppers,  crickets,  and  similar  pests  that  are 
not  easily  reached  by  poisoning  the  foliage  or  cannot  be 
reached  with  contact  insecticides.  A  teaspoonful  of  ar- 
senate  of  lead,  paris  green,  or  zinc  arsenite,  mixed  evenly 
with  a  quart  of  dry  bran,  shorts,  or  cottonseed  meal  should 
be  used.  Enough  water  is  added  to  make  it  into  a  paste 
that  can  easily  be  molded  in  the  hands.  If  a  quantity  of 
molasses  or  sirup  is  added,  it  will  increase  the  moisture- 
holding  capacity  and  also  make  it  somewhat  more  attrac- 
tive to  certain  insects. 

GASEOUS  INSECTICIDES 

Bisulfide  of  carbon  proves  very  serviceable  in  destroying 
insects  that  are  infesting  seed  and  seed-storage  rooms. 
It  also  proves  useful  in  a  limited  way  in  treating  seed-beds 
for  destroying  ants.  One  pound  of  bisulfide  of  carbon 
will  be  needed  for  about  1,000  cubic  feet  of  tightly  closed 
space.  This  amount  will  be  almost  sure  to  kill  all  the 
animals  within  the  inclosure  in  twenty-four  hours'  time. 
For  destroying  insects  that  are  infesting  seeds,  a  propor- 
tionately smaller  amount  should  be  used  after  placing  the 
seeds  in  a  box  that  can  be  tightly  closed.  For  destroying 
ants '  nests,  a  hole  should  be  punched  in  the  ground  with  a 
^-inch  or  f-inch  dibber  in  or  near  the  ants'  nest  and  one  to 
several  teaspoonfuls  of  the  carbon  bisulfide  dropped  in 
the  hole,  and  the  hole  covered  carefully,  firming  the  soil 
above. 

Formalin  is  useful  in  combating  the  root-knot  worm  in 
seed-beds,  where  it  is  probably  more  effective  than  the 
carbon  bisulfide.  One  part  of  the  commercial  formalin  is 


Pests  and  Diseases  73 

needed  to  100  parts  of  water.  For  a  shallow  seed-bed, 
l£  gallons  of  the  mixture  to  a  square  yard  is  applied,  and 
for  a  deep  seed-bed  a  correspondingly  larger  amount 
is  used. 

FUNGICIDES 

There  are  many  fungicides  offered  by  the  trade,  and  in 
some  cases  they  will  be  found  good,  but  owing  to  a  large 
number  of  inferior  materials  that  are  being  put  on  the 
market,  they  are  not  always  trustworthy ;  it  has,  therefore, 
become  necessary  to  depend  more  largely  upon  the  home- 
made fungicides  and  insecticides. 

Bordeaux  mixture.  —  For  the  prevention  of  fungous 
diseases,  nothing  has  been  discovered  that  is  equal  to  the 
standard  home-made  bordeaux  mixture.  Unfortunately 
some  difficulties  are  encountered  in  making  a  good  home 
mixture  and  it  is  somewhat  disagreeable  to  apply. 

Solution  No.  1. 

Copper  sulfate  (bluestone),  6  pounds. 

Water,  50  gallons. 
Solution  No.  2. 

Caustic  lime  (quicklime),  4  pounds. 

Water,  50  gallons. 

It  is  advisable  to  have  three  kerosene  barrels  of  about  fifty 
gallons  capacity  in  the  field.  Six  pounds  of  copper  sul- 
fate should  be  dissolved  in  a  barrel  of  water  (50  gallons). 
The  copper  sulfate  will  be  dissolved  slowly  in  cool  water 
if  it  is  suspended  near  the  top  of  the  barrel  in  a  feed  sack 
or  other  coarse  cloth.  If  it  is  desirable  to  dissolve  it 
quickly,  this  may  be  done  by  placing  it  in  a  barrel  and 


74  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

pouring  on  hot  water.  After  the  6  pounds  of  copper  sul- 
fate  have  been  dissolved,  the  barrel  may  be  filled  to  the 
50-gallon  mark.  Tin  or  iron  vessels  should  not  be  used 
in  connection  with  bordeaux  mixture  or  the  copper  sulfate 
solution;  always  use  copper  or  wooden  vessels.  The 
4  pounds  of  lime  should  be  slaked  in  just  enough  water 
to  cover  it,  and  care  should  be  taken  to  stir  it  well  and  see 
that  it  does  not  burn  dry.  This  is  best  done  in  a  wooden 
vessel,  as  there  is  considerable  heat  generated  by  the  lime 
in  slaking.  If  the  stone  from  which  the  lime  is  made 
contains  much  sand,  it  will  be  necessary  to  increase  the 
number  of  pounds  of  lime  used.  If  there  is  a  quantity  of 
air-slaked  lime  also  present,  it  will  be  better  to  reject  this 
and  simply  use  the  part  that  has  not  been  air-slaked. 
After  the  lime  has  been  slaked,  water  to  make  50  gallons 
is  added.  The  copper  sulfate  solution  (No.  1)  should  be 
stirred  thoroughly,  and  about  one-half  as  much  as  the 
spraying  apparatus  will  hold  taken  out.  This  is  poured 
in  the  third  barrel ;  the  lime  water  is  then  stirred  thor- 
oughly and  just  as  much  lime  water  (No.  2)  taken  out  as 
already  taken  of  copper  sulfate  solution ;  this  is  poured  into 
the  third  barrel  and  the  two  stirred  together  immediately 
and  briskly  for  a  minute  or  two.  A  greenish-colored 
substance  will  then  have  been  formed  which  is  bordeaux 
mixture.  This  mixture  is  put  into  the  spraying  pump 
and  applied  at  once.  Bordeaux  mixture  is  not  so  good 
after  it  has  settled,  and  after  it  is  twenty-four  hours  old 
it  had  better  be  poured  away  and  a  fresh  quantity  made. 
The  lime  water  and  copper  sulfate  solution  may  be  kept 
separately  for  an  indefinite  time  without  deterioration,  if 
evaporation  is  prevented. 


Pests  and  Diseases  75 

Ammoniacal  solution  of  copper  carbonate  will  be  found 
applicable  in  places  where  the  bordeaux  mixture  would 
cause  a  bluish  green  stain  and  so  cause  the  product  to  be 
less  salable,  as  in  the  case  of  maturing  tomato  fruits,  snap 
beans,  and  the  like.  It  does  not  have  the  lasting  qualities 
of  bordeaux  mixture,  but  is  much  more  easily  prepared. 
In  addition  to  this  it  may  be  used  much  more  success- 
fully to  reach  fungi  inhabiting  the  soil,  especially  those 
fungi  that  attack  the  plants  near  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

Copper  carbonate,  5  ounces. 
Ammonia  water  26°  Baume,  3  pints. 

For  use  the  solution  should  be  diluted  to  50  gallons. 
One  gallon  of  water  is  poured  into  a  wooden  or  earthen 
vessel,  the  3  pints  of  ammonia  added  and  stirred  so  as  to 
mix  evenly.  The  5  ounces  of  copper  carbonate  are  shaken 
in  the  ammonia  water,  stirring  the  liquid  all  the  time. 
If  the  copper  carbonate  all  dissolves,  an  additional  amount 
is  put  in  until  a  small  quantity  remains  undissolved. 
When  the  undissolved  copper  carbonate  has  settled  to  the 
bottom,  the  clear,  blue  liquid  is  poured  off  into  some  vessels 
that  can  be  tightly  corked,  such  as  jugs,  or  bottles. 
The  writer's  experience  has  been  that  this  stock  solution 
does  not  keep  well  for  more  than  a  few  days  to  a  week  or 
two,  even  in  tightly  corked  vessels;  consequently,  the 
material  should  be  made  up  just  at  the  time  when  it  is 
to  be  used. 

SPRAYING  MACHINES 

In  the  last  twenty-five  years  the  number  of  devices 
that  have  been  invented  for  applying  fungicides  and  in- 


76  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

secticides  is  almost  countless.    Machines  have  been  de- 
vised for  meeting  the  needs  of  almost  any  contingency. 

For  dry  materials. 

The  simplest  device  to  apply  powders  is  a  bag  of  coarse 
woven  fabric,  in  which  the  material  is  placed  and  then  the 
bag  held  over  the  plant  to  be  treated.  By  shaking  or 
tapping  the  bag  the  powder  sifts  out  and  is  more  or  less 
equally  distributed.  Hand  bellows  to  accomplish  the  same 
purpose  have  been  in  use  for  a  considerable  time.  Ma- 
chines variously  spoken  of  as  powder  guns  and  dust 
sprayers  are  also  on  the  market.  Some  of  these  are  con- 
structed so  as  to  cover  a  very  large  area  in  a  small  time, 
and  under  certain  conditions  become  very  efficient. 

Where  it  is  practicable  to  use  the  dry  material,  it  is 
usually  found  more  economical  than  the  liquids,  owing 
to  the  weight  of  the  water  which  is  used  in  making  the 
liquid  sprays. 

For  liquids. 

The  simplest  forms  for  applying  liquids  are  the  hand 
atomizers ;  these  work  extremely  well  for  small  plants 
and  when  a  small  area  is  to  be  covered,  such  as  in  seed- 
beds, greenhouses  and  coldframes. 

The  bucket  sprayer  and  knapsack  sprayer  are  quite  in- 
dispensable to  the  average  general  trucker,  and  in  some 
cases  the  knapsack  sprayer  only  can  be  used  for  destroying 
aphis  on  cucumbers  and  watermelons,  as  well  as  other  gar- 
den vegetables.  When  the  work  is  to  be  done  on  a  large 
scale,  the  labor  expense  in  using  a  knapsack  sprayer  be- 
comes too  great  to  make  this  form  of  machine  profitable. 


Pests  and  Diseases  77 

For  spraying  Irish  potatoes,  cucumbers,  and  other 
crops  that  are  grown  on  extensive  areas,  the  horse  spraying 
machine  becomes  an  economic  implement.  In  spraying 
Irish  potatoes  for  late  blight  and  early  blight,  it  is  rather 
important  to  go  over  the  field  twice  in  opposite  directions. 
In  this  way  the  foliage  is  covered  better  than  when  the 
spraying  is  done  only  in  one  direction. 

The  most  perfect  of  the  sprayers  now  in  use  is  the  power 
sprayer.  These  develop  a  pressure  of  80  to  100  pounds 
and  make  it  possible  to  reduce  the  spraying  mixture  to  a 
mist,  thus  reaching  not  only  the  upper  surface  of  the 
leaves,  but  the  under  surface  as  well  to  a  large  extent. 


CHAPTER  IX 
MARKETING 

IT  is  not  unusual  to  find  persons  who  have  labored 
diligently  to  produce  a  good  crop  put  it  on  the  market  in 
a  slovenly  manner.  High  prices  are  paid  for  fancy  fruits 
and  vegetables,  but  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  package 
fancy  from  the  beginning  to  the  end ;  any  one  point  neg- 
lected in  the  whole  series  will  cause  a  decided  damage. 
It  requires  brains  to  produce  a  fine  article,  hence  the 
supply  is  limited.  It  is  more  profitable  to  produce  the  best 
of  everything.  If  one  wishes  to  succeed  in  any  line  of 
business,  one  must  offer  for  sale  the  article  that  is  wanted, 
and  as  long  as  there  is  a  monopoly  of  that  article,  the  price 
is  considerably  above  the  cost  of  production.  Often,  the 
mere  style  of  label  on  a  package  makes  a  difference  of 
10  per  cent  in  the  selling  price.  The  street  venders  in 
our  large  cities  learn  to  know  human  nature  well;  they 
buy  good  vegetables  and  fruits  that  have  been  shipped  in 
poor  packages  and  take  the  time  and  trouble  to  repack 
them,  and  find  it  a  profitable  employment.  We  must 
emphasize  the  matter  of  doing  the  very  best  with  the  best 
material  at  hand.  If  a  crop  is  all  culls,  nine  times  out  of 
ten  it  will  not  pay  to  market  it  at  all. 

THE  PACKING-HOUSE 

To  put  vegetables  on  the  market  in  first-class  shape 
requires  certain  equipment.    One  of  the  indispensables  is 
78 


Marketing  79 

a  good  packing-house.  When  vegetables  and  fruit  are 
ready  for  the  market,  they  must  be  sent  out  —  they  cannot 
wait.  One  cannot  stop  to  plan  a  packing-house  after  the 
crop  begins  to  ripen,  nor  is  this  the  time  to  build  one. 

A  good  packing-house  is  airy  and  roomy,  and  so  con- 
structed that  all  parts  can  be  kept  clean.  It  has  been 
demonstrated  repeatedly  that  vegetables  have  contracted 
disease  in  the  packing-house,  and  arrived  in  the  market 
in  an  unsalable  condition.  In  several  cases  this  has  led 
to  an  annoying  controversy,  and  one  in  which  both  parties, 
being  entirely  sincere,  were  severe  losers,  the  buyers  in 
losing  a  desirable  trade,  and  the  vegetable-growers  in 
having  to  pay  for  shipping  a  quantity  of  worthless  vege- 
tables. We  cannot  say  that  this  was  because  of  careless- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  vegetable-growers,  but  rather  be- 
cause of  a  lack  of  knowledge  on  the  subject.  Diseased 
vegetables  should  not  be  brought  into  the  packing-house, 
nor  should  they  be  left  in  the  field ;  this  is  a  subject,  how- 
ever, that  deserves  special  attention,  and  is  discussed 
under  the  subject  of  plant  diseases,  Chapter  VIII. 

The  location  of  a  packing-house  must  be  decided  by 
each  individual,  as  the  points  to  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion are  of  an  individual  character.  When  it  is  possible 
to  place  it  so  that  the  vegetables  can  be  loaded  directly 
on  to  the  car,  this  will  compensate  for  considerable  dis- 
advantage in  other  ways,  as  it  saves  one  handling  of  full 
crates.  When  this  is  not  practicable,  the  question  as  to 
whether  it  shall  be  in  the  field  or  near  one's  dwelling  has  to 
be  considered. 

In  the  planning  of  a  house,  a  few  general  principles  may 
be  given  that  will  cover  all  kinds  of  vegetables ;  there  must 


80  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

be  more  or  less  variation  in  detail  to  suit  the  kind  of  vege- 
table to  be  packed.  The  product  should  enter  on  one  side 
and  be  taken  out  on  the  other.  The  driveway  to  the  en- 
trance should  be  low  enough  so  that  the  vegetables  do  not 
have  to  be  lifted  to  the  floor.  The  arrangement  should  be 
such  that  the  crop  does  not  have  to  be  lifted  at  each  succes- 
sive handling.  It  is  easier  to  lift  a  crate  of  vegetables  from 
a  bench  than  it  is  to  place  it  on  the  bench.  Most  laborers 
will  do  more  efficient  work  when  not  tired.  A  tired  laborer 
works  to  the  detriment  of  the  grower,  whether  the  pay  is  by 
the  box  or  by  the  day.  The  packing  season  is  a  busy  one, 
and  laborers  are  often  hard  to  secure ;  if,  therefore,  four 
laborers  can  do  the  work  of  five,  there  will  be  that  much 
more  margin  for  profit  or  for  investments. 

HONEST  PACKING 

The  practice  of  placing  poor  products  in  the  center  of 
the  crate  cannot  be  too  severely  condemned,  and  the 
persons  who  make  a  practice  of  this  usually  reap  the  due 
reward.  Too  often,  also,  they  do  a  great  injury  at  the 
same  time  to  their  neighbor. 


CHAPTER  X 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  LEAVES  OR 
STEMS  — COLE  CROPS 

THE  cole  crops  are  the  cabbage  tribes,  particularly  those 
grown  for  the  leaves  or  leafy  or  head-like  parts,  as  cabbage, 
cauliflower,  kale,  brussels  sprouts,  and  others.  These 
all  require  cool  weather  for  best  development  and  they 
withstand  considerable  frost  at  the  proper  season.  The 
seeds  are  globular  or  nearly  so,  black  or  blackish,  and 
germinate  quickly. 

CABBAGE 

This  hardy  vegetable  is  grown  in  Florida  and  along  the 
Gulf  Coast  as  a  winter  or  cool-season  crop.  In  this  way  it 
escapes  more  or  less  the  many  insect  enemies  which  would 
attack  it  during  the  hot  season.  It  is  perhaps  the  common- 
est temperate  vegetable  grown  in  the  West  Indies  and 
India  during  the  cool  season  for  the  benefit  of  immigrants 
from  colder  climates.  It  matures  in  three  to  five  months, 
according  to  climate  and  variety. 

The  season  for  marketing  cabbage  from  Florida  is  not 
long,  because  the  Maine  and  Nova  Scotia  cabbage  will 
keep  until  March  or  April,  while  the  spring  crop  of  North 
Georgia  and  South  Carolina  begins  to  reach  market  in 
June.  In  some  years  the  northern  crop  is  small,  and  in 
G  81 


82  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

such  cases  late  winter  cabbage  commands  a  high  price. 
If  at  the  same  time  the  potato  crop  is  light,  there  will  be  a 
demand  for  southern  cabbage.  The  vegetable-growers 
can  often  anticipate  such  conditions,  and  put  in  a  large 
crop  of  cabbage.  There  is  a  large  southern  market  that 
would  depend  on  this  cabbage  if  the  supply  were  constant. 
Cabbage  is  an  excellent  feed  for  cattle.  In  some  of  the 
dairying  districts,  it  is  raised  as  a  second  crop  to  feed 
milch  cows. 

Seed-bed. 

Cabbage  is  probably  the  easiest  vegetable  to  grow  from 
seed  in  the  market.  It  is  not  necessary  to  have  a  cold- 
frame  to  start  the  seedlings ;  but  success  is  more  certain 
by  using  it,  where  there  is  danger  from  frost.  The  bed 
need  not  be  as  fertile  as  for  most  other  seedlings.  Where 
frosts  are  apt  to  occur  after  the  plants  have  been  set  in 
the  field,  the  seedlings  are  often  purposely  stunted  severely 
in  order  that  they  may  be  more  resistant  to  cold.  If  it  is 
discovered  that  the  plants  are  not  progressing  rapidly 
enough  to  bring  them  to  the  size  desired  by  transplanting 
time,  they  can  be  stimulated  to  rapid  growth  by  the  use  of 
liquid  manure,  by  giving  cottonseed  meal,  or  by  an  applica- 
tion of  nitrate  of  soda.  The  cottonseed  meal  must  not 
come  in  contact  with  the  plants,  as  it  is  liable  to  cause  a 
"damping-off"  in  the  seed-bed.  Four  or  five  ounces  of 
seed  should  give  plants  enough  for  an  acre. 

Sowing  the  seed  of  cabbage. 

It  is  preferable  to  sow  the  seed  in  drills  far  enough 
apart  to  permit  working  by  hoe  or  hand  plow.  In  Florida, 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  83 

September  or  October  or  later,  depending  upon  the  variety, 
is  the  time  to  sow  for  the  February,  March,  and  April 
markets  of  the  North.  This  will  bring  the  crop  into 
market  after  the  northern  stored  crop  has  been  consumed, 
and  before  the  early  spring  crop  has  matured.  .  The  drills 
are  made  about  f  of  an  inch  deep.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings 
begin  to  break  through  the  ground,  a  liberal  application  of 
tobacco  dust  should  be  given  and  the  dusting  repeated 
every  three  or  four  days.  This  will  kill  or  drive  away  the 
insects  that  are  numerous  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

If  the  seeds  grow  well  the  plants  will  become  crowded 
in  the  drills  before  they  attain  their  third  leaf.  Cabbage 
seedlings  may  be  transplanted  at  any  time  in  their  growth, 
without  losing  any  plants;  hence,  they  should  be  trans- 
planted to  a  new  bed  as  soon  as  they  show  signs  of  too 
much  crowding.  They  should  be  transplanted  to  the  field 
before  the  height  of  6  inches  is  reached.  If  the  plants 
grow  too  rapidly,  they  may  be  checked  by  withholding 
water  or  by  shifting  them  to  a  new  bed. 

Soils  for  cabbage. 

Cabbage  is  a  gross  feeder  and  will  succeed  on  soil  where 
many  other  crops  fail.  Soil  used  for  ordinary  gardening 
is  considered  excellent  for  this  vegetable.  If  the  land  is 
not  level,  a  northern  slope  is  preferred,  as  that  is  cooler 
and  keeps  a  more  nearly  constant  temperature.  Large 
cabbage  will  stand  15°  F.  without  being  killed ;  but  that 
recently  set  out  needs  some  light  protection.  Seedlings 
or  plants  in  the  seed-bed  can  stand  about  20°  F.,  but  if  they 
are  in  rapid  growth  this  temperature  makes  the  leaves  look 
scalded. 


84  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Fertilizers  for  cabbage. 

The  fertilizer  ingredients  necessary  for  the  growth  of 
good  cabbage  are  approximately :  ammonia,  6  per  cent ; 
available  phosphoric  acid,  7  per  cent ;  potash,  8  per  cent. 
Use  1500  to  2500  pounds  of  the  above  formula  to  the  acre. 

The  following  table  gives  the  amounts  of  the  different 
ingredients  required : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACBE 

1200  to  2000  cottonseed  meal ;  or 

750  to  1100  dried  blood;  or 
ma    '     '         500  to    750  nitrate  of  soda;  or 
400  to    600  sulf  ate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .  1000  to  1500  acid  phosphate. 

1200  to  1800  kainit;  or 

p       ,  300  to  450  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

300  to    450  high-grade  sulf  ate  of  potash;  or 

600  to   900  low-grade  sulf  ate  of  potash. 

Planting  and  cultivating. 

Before  transplanting,  it  is  well  to  harden  off  the  plants, 
and  when  ready  to  remove  them,  soak  the  ground  thor- 
oughly ;  this  will  cause  more  soil  to  adhere  to  the  roots. 
A  rainy  time  is  preferable  for  planting  out,  and  this  usually 
can  be  waited  for,  although  it  is  not  necessary,  as  the 
plants  grow  very  readily.  For  medium  to  large  varieties, 
the  rows  should  be  made  3  feet  apart,  and  the  plants 
placed  2  to  3  feet  apart  in  the  row.  They  should  be 
planted  with  a  view  of  doing  all  the  cultivating  by  horse 
power.  If  the  season  happens  to  be  dry,  frequent  and 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  85 

thorough  but   shallow  cultivation  should  be  given  to 
conserve  the  moisture  of  the  soil. 

Preparing  cabbage  for  market. 

It  often  happens  that  much  rain  falls  when  the  heads 
have  become  solid,  causing  them  to  burst.  This  may  be 
prevented  by  running  a  plow  with  a  long  sweep  on  one  side 
of  the  row  to  cut  off  most  of  the  roots.  The  bursting  is 
caused  by  assimilation  of  too  much  moisture,  and  a 
consequent  expansion  of  the  heart  while  the  outer  leaves 
cannot  stretch  sufficiently. 

For  shipping,  nearly  all  of  the  outer  leaves  are  stripped 
off,  leaving  just  enough  to  protect  the  head ;  the  stalk  is 
then  cut  off  about  even.  The  heads  should  be  gathered 
dry,  and  kept  so  until  they  reach  their  destination.  If 
somewhat  wilted  when  received  by  the  retail  dealer,  they 
may  be  placed  in  a  cellar  or  other  moist  place,  when  they 
wilt  become  crisp  and  fresh  again. 

Cabbage  may  be  classed  among  the  staple  products, 
so  the  public  is  not  very  notional  about  how  it  appears 
on  the  market.  While  it  is  an  easy  crop  to  grow,  there 
are,  on  the  other  hand,  many  failures. 

Marketing  cabbage. 

There  is  no  settled  form  of  package  for  cabbages.  The 
smaller  early  cabbage  is  usually  crated  or  barreled ;  the 
fall  cabbage  is  sometimes  shipped  in  bulk,  especially  when 
sold  by  the  carload.  Barrels  are  frequently  used  when 
only  a  few  are  to  be  shipped  to  one  address.  Crates  are 
often  seen  on  the  markets  of  large  cities ;  they  are  about 
2  by  4  by  4  or  5  feet.  In  Florida,  cabbage  crates  are  made 


86  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

to  hold  100  pounds  —  smaller  than  the  dimensions  given 
above. 

Enemies  of  cabbage. 

Cabbage  insects  may  be  kept  away  from  the  seed-beds 
by  screening  thoroughly  with  cheese-cloth  or  mosquito 
bar.  A  spraying  with  paris  green  will  protect  the  young 
plants  from  caterpillars,  and  a  solution  of  white  hellebore 
has  been  found  efficacious  against  the  root  maggot. 

Club-root  may  be  avoided  by  rotation  of  crops.  Black- 
rot  may  be  prevented  by  disinfecting  seeds  and  imple- 
ments, cleaning  out  diseased  cabbage,  and  the  like,  and 
practicing  rotation.  Black-mold  may  be  checked  by 
spraying  with  bordeaux  mixture.  In  some  places  it  is 
necessary  to  spray  even  the  small  seedlings  many  times; 

Varieties  of  cabbage. 

There  is  practically  no  killing  frost  for  cabbage  in  the 
lower  South ;  consequently,  it  is  found  more  profitable 
to  raise  the  larger  kinds.  Charleston  Wakefield,  Premium 
Flat  Dutch,  and  Louisville  Drumhead  are  favorites  in 
various  parts ;  but  these  varieties  should  be  grown  only  to 
medium  size.  For  family  use,  when  cabbage  is  wanted 
in  as  short  time  as  possible,  Jersey  Wakefield  or  Early 
Winningstadt  are  desirable  varieties. 

Bulletins 

Cabbage,  U.  S.  D.  A.  Farmers'  Bulletin  433. 

Screening  for  the  Protection  of  Cabbage,  N.  Y.  Bulletin  301,  1908. 

Cabbage  Growing,  Colo.  Bulletin  143,  1909. 

Cabbage  Experiments  and  Culture,  Maryland  Bulletin  133,  1909. 

Cabbage  Worms,  W.  Va.  Bulletin  120,  1909. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  87 


BRUSSELS    SPROUTS 

This  form  of  the  cabbage  species  is  distinguished  by 
forming  many  small  heads  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves  on  a 
tall  stem,  instead  of  one  large  head  at  the  top.  It  is  a  fa- 
vorite winter  vegetable  in  districts  where  the  winter  is  suf- 
ficiently mild  to  allow  of  its  growth,  for  it  will  stand  frosts 
as  well  as  the  cabbage  or  even  better.  It  is  not  so  much 
grown  in  the  northern  United  States,  as  it  is  in  the  west 
of  Europe,  because  of  the  rigorous  winters.  By  sowing  the 
seed  and  transplanting  into  the  field,  like  cabbage,  it  can 
be  grown  in  southern  localities  during  the  late  fall,  winter, 
and  spring,  and  the  sprouts  picked  from  the  stem  as 
they  develop.  The  lower  leaves  are  usually  removed 
from  the  plants  in  the  field  to  allow  the  better  develop- 
ment of  the  sprouts.  The  culture  of  the  plants  and  their 
requirements  are  about  the  same  as  for  cabbage.  There 
are  both  tall  and  dwarf  varieties.  Brussels  sprouts  do  not 
appear  to  succeed  in  winterless  climates. 


KALE   OR   BORECOLE 

This  hardy  vegetable,  which  is  a  variety  of  the  cab- 
bage with  open  growth  and  often  cut  and  curled  leaves, 
has  not  been  much  grown  for  the  distant  market,  except 
at  Norfolk,  Virginia.  It  is  used  rather  extensively  in 
New  York,  Chicago,  and  several  other  cities  with  a  large 
foreign  population.  The  cities  named  above  would  con- 
sume hundreds  of  crates  of  it  at  a  fair  price  if  offered 
early  enough.  It  should  be  brought  into  these  markets 
during  March  and  April,  or  even  earlier. 


88  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  land  is  prepared  as  for  lettuce  and  fertilized  as 
for  cauliflower.  The  seed  may  be  sown  in  drills  during 
October  and  November,  or  it  may  be  sown  in  cold- 
frames  like  cauliflower  during  November.  When  the 
plants  have  the  fourth  or  fifth  leaf,  they  may  be  trans- 
planted in  the  same  way  as  cauliflower.  The  working 
of  the  field  is  similar  to  that  for  the  cauliflower;  and 
it  should  be  remembered  that  the  smaller  varieties  re- 
quire less  space  than  the  larger. 

The  large  varieties  are  cut  and  shipped  in  barrels; 
for  shipping  a  long  distance  or  a  large  amount,  crates 
will  be  found  preferable. 

The  leading  varieties  are  Scotch  Curled  and  Green 
Curled.  These  form  only  a  small  part  of  the  varieties 
grown  in  Europe. 

COLLARD 

The  collard  is  a  form  of  kale;  it  stands  hot  weather 
better  than  the  cabbage,  and  although  it  forms  no  heads, 
gives  a  large  supply  of  excellent  green  leaves.  It  grows 
more  strongly  than  the  cabbage  and  is  recommended  for 
gardens  in  subtropical  and  tropical  climates,  and  even 
for  market-gardening  in  some  of  the  latter.  In  winterless 
climates  it  may  be  grown  as  a  perennial,  the  young  leaves 
only  being  picked  as  wanted. 

This  is  decidedly  an  American  vegetable,  grown  almost 
exclusively  for  southern  markets  by  people  of  the  South. 
As  a  money  crop  it  is  not  particularly  successful,  although 
it  may  be  marketed  when  vegetables  are  usually  scarce. 
Those  who  have  cultivated  a  taste  for  it  will  refuse  cabbage 
and  cauliflower  at  the  same  price. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  89 

A  rich  loam  should  be  selected,  heavily  fertilized,  and 
deeply  prepared.  The  directions  given  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  land  for  cabbage  will  also  apply  for  collards.  The 
seed  is  sown  in  a  coldframe  or  in  an  open  seed-bed  during 
February  and  March  in  the  colder  part  of  the  orange  belt, 
and  as  late  as  August  in  the  warmer  part  of  the  wheat 
belt.  As  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  crowd  one  another, 
they  are  shifted  to  a  new  place  in  the  coldframe.  When 
the  plants  are  from  4  to  6  inches  high,  they  are  planted  in 
the  field,  laying  the  rows  off  4  feet  apart  and  putting  the 
plants  3  feet  in  the  row. 

The  crop  may  be  marketed  any  time  after  the  first  of 
October.  This  may  be  done  in  crates,  in  barrels,  or  in 
bulk. 

CAULIFLOWER 

Many  persons  prefer  the  cauliflower  to  any  other 
vegetable.  It  has  no  doubt  been  derived  from  the 
cabbage.  The  broccoli  is  a  kind  of  cauliflower,  and  hardly 
shows  differences  enough  to  deserve  a  separate  name.  The 
cauliflower  is  remarkable  as  being  one  of  the  few  plants 
whose  flower-buds  and  stalks  are  eaten.  From  the 
swollen  colorless  state  of  the  flower-buds  and  flower- 
stalks,  the  production  of  good  seed  is  naturally  scanty,  and 
therefore  the  seed  is  high-priced.  The  cauliflower  is  a 
monstrosity  among  cultivated  plants,  and  this  may  account 
for  several  difficulties  in  its  culture.  It  stands  somewhat 
more  warmth  than  most  varieties  of  its  ancestor,  the  cab- 
bage, and  is  also  more  sensitive  to  frost .  Though  it  can 
endure  some  heat  and  drought  when  young,  it  requires 
moisture  and  a  cooler  temperature  to  head  well.  If 


90  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

checked  in  growth  or  not  well  fed,  it  produces  a  number  of 
buttons  instead  of  solid  heads.  Cauliflower  grows  re- 
markably well  in  the  spring,  fall,  and  winter  seasons  of  sub- 
tropical countries,  such  as  Florida,  the  Gulf  Coast,  and  the 
Mediterranean  region.  One  variety  is  grown  from  ac- 
climated seed  in  the  tropical  parts  of  India.  It  may  be 
recommended  for  private  or  local  use  in  tropical  lands 
where  there  is  a  distinct  cool  season,  especially  if  grown 
under  a  slat-shed,  or  under  cheese-cloth  on  a  small 
scale.  The  seed  for  warm  climates  should  be  procured, 
like  that  of  the  Bermuda  onion,  from  a  warm  country. 
Irrigation  is  highly  beneficial,  and  a  thick  mulch  of  manure 
or  straw  has  given  good  results  in  dry  hot  weather.  The 
cauliflower  takes  about  five  months  to  mature  from 
seed.  The  seed  may  be  sown  thinly  in  a  seed-bed,  or  sown 
in  the  open  field  a  few  together  at  intervals  of  2  feet,  in 
rows  3  feet  apart.  From  l\  to  2^  ounces  of  seed  may  be 
needed  for  an  acre,  when  sown  in  a  seed-bed. 

As  a  money  crop  for  the  southern  United  States,  the 
cauliflower  can  be  recommended  to  all  sections.  It  is 
more  difficult  to  raise  than  cabbage,  and  consequently 
brings  a  larger  profit  to  those  who  are  able  to  grow  it  well. 
It  has  been  grown  successfully  in  all  sections  of  the  lower 
South,  and  thousands  of  acres  are  raised  annually  on  Long 
Island.  By  this  it  is  seen  that  the  difficulties  connected 
with  raising  it  are  not  obstacles  to  average  gardeners. 

Sowing  seed  of  cauliflower. 

In  sections  where  the  temperature  does  not  go  below 
18°  F.,  cauliflower  can  be  relied  upon  for  February  and 
March  delivery.  If  the  crop  is  wanted  for  these  months, 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  91 

the  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  coldframe  shaded  with  plant- 
cloth  at  midday  during  September  and  October.  In 
Florida,  the  seed  may  be  sown  as  early  as  August,  and  in 
South  Texas  in  July. 

The  soil  should  be  raked  off  smoothly,  and  if  it  is  not 
already  fertile,  it  should  receive  a  liberal  application  of 
commercial  fertilizer.  This  should  be  worked  in  thor- 
oughly and  allowed  to  stand  a  week  or  ten  days  before  the 
seed  is  sown.  Cottonseed  meal  or  other  vegetable  matter 
should  not  be  used  in  the  fall,  as  it  propagates  diseases 
which  destroy  seedling  cauliflowers.  In  winter  this 
form  of  fertilizer  can  be  used  in  the  coldframes  with 
safety.  Cottonseed  meal  and  other  vegetable  matter 
should  be  composted  and  thoroughly  rotted  before  using  it 
in  the  coldframes.  The  drills  are  made  3  or  4  inches  apart 
and  f  of  an  inch  deep,  and  the  seed  sown  by  hand  very 
thinly.  A  seeder  may  be  used  with  profit  if  one  has  much 
seed  to  sow.  The  seed  when  sown  should  be  covered  with 
about  f  of  an  inch  of  soil. 

The  soil  should  be  kept  moist  by  frequent  applications  of 
water,  never  using  enough  to  soak  the  bed,  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  not  allowing  the  soil  to  become  dry.  An  open 
seed-bed  may  be  covered  with  sacking  until  the  seeds 
germinate.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  appear,  watering 
may  be  less  frequent  and  heavier.  The  surface  of  the  soil 
should  be  allowed  to  dry,  so  as  to  prevent  damping-off. 
If,  at  any  time,  it  is  noticed  that  some  plants  are  falling 
over,  as  if  cut  off,  it  is  probably  due  to  a  fungus.  An  ap- 
plication of  air-slaked  lime,  dust,  or  dry  sand  will  often  be 
found  of  advantage  in  this  case. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  crowd  in  the  rows,  they 


92  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

may  be  transplanted  to  a  plant-bed.  They  are  set  4 
by  4  inches.  In  six  or  eight  weeks  the  plants  are  ready  to 
go  to  the  field.  Care  must  be  exercised  that  they  do  not 
remain  in  the  coldframe  too  long,  as  leggy  plants  are 
liable  to  "shoot  up"  to  seed  without  making  fine  heads. 
However,  experiments  have  shown  that  transplanting 
decreases  the  yield,  and,  if  possible,  it  should  be  avoided. 

Soil  and  fertilizer  for  cauliflower. 

A  rather  loamy  sandy  soil,  in  a  warm  location,  is  pref- 
erable for  winter  marketing;  but  for  the  late  spring 
market  a  heavier  and  cooler  soil  will  give  a  larger  yield. 
Irrigation  is  of  great  value  in  dry  seasons.  The  land 
should  be  prepared  deeply  and  thoroughly.  If  some 
crop  has  been  used  for  soiling,  the  material  should  be 
plowed  in  early  enough  to  incorporate  it  well  with  the  soil 
before  planting  time.  The  land  should  be  fertilized 
heavily  as  for  cabbage.  The  following  ingredients  should 
be  used:  ammonia,  6  per  cent;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  7  per  cent;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  about  1500 
pounds  of  the  above  formula.  For  table  of  ingredients  to 
use  for  an  acre,  see  Cabbage.  The  fertilizer  should  be 
applied  along  the  row,  and  worked  in  thoroughly.  From 
several  days  to  two  weeks  should  be  allowed  to  pass  be- 
fore planting  out. 

Setting  out  the  plants. 

The  rows  should  be  made  2^  to  3  feet  apart  and  the 
plants  set  2  feet  or  so  apart  in  the  row.  If  rain  does  not 
occur  at  the  time,  it  will  be  necessary  to  water,  for  one 
cannot  wait  for  a  rain,  as  with  the  cabbage,  for  the  plants 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  93 

must  be  set  out,  as  otherwise  they  are  liable  to  become  too 
large  and  a  part  of  the  crop  to  be  worthless. 

Cultivation  of  cauliflower. 

The  general  care  and  cultivation  is  like  that  for  early 
cabbage.  An  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  at  the  begin- 
ning of  heading  is  advantageous.  When  the  heads 
reach  the  size  of  a  teacup,  the  leaves  may  be  tied  over  them 
to  keep  the  heads  white.  This  is  not  always  necessary, 
nor  is  the  practice  always  followed. 

Cutting. 

After  cauliflower  has  begun  to  head,  it  requires  much 
judgment  to  put  it  into  the  market  properly.  The  field 
must  be  picked  over  repeatedly  and  the  matured  heads 
removed,  or  they  will  spoil.  If  the  weather  is  warm, 
they  are  liable  to  spot,  and  this  makes  them  unfit  for  the 
market.  To  examine  a  head,  the  leaves  are  parted  to  see 
if  the  head  is  beginning  to  crack;  if  so,  it  should  be  re- 
moved. In  case  the  leaves  have  been  tied  over  the  head 
to  blanch  it,  they  must  be  parted  on  the  side.  In  cutting, 
a  good,  strong  knife,  with  a  blade  about  eight  inches  long, 
is  needed.  The  stalk  should  be  cut  so  as  to  leave  about 
two  circles  of  leaves.  If  the  product  is  first-class,  it  will 
pay  to  cut  the  stalk  below  the  leaves  and  cart  the  crop 
to  the  packing-house. 

Crating  cauliflower  heads. 

Preparatory  to  crating  cauliflowers,  all  but  the  inner 
circle  of  leaves  should  be  trimmed  off,  the  stalks  cut  off 
near  the  leaves,  and  wrapped  in  a  thin,  white  paper.  In 


94  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  fancy  markets,  nearly  as  much  pains  is  taken  with  this 
vegetable  as  with  fancy  fruits,  and  the  growing  of  this  class 
of  cauliflower  pays  best.  Before  wrapping,  each  head 
should  be  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly.  In  regard  to  the 
package,  the  customers  are  not  so  particular  because  the 
product  is  usually  removed  from  the  package  before  it  is 
sold  to  the  retail  dealers.  The  barrel  or  box  should  not 
contain  more  than  2^  bushels,  to  avoid  bruising  the  lower 
heads  by  the  weight  of  the  upper  ones.  For  a  distant 
market,  it  is  better  to  use  a  crate  that  will  hold  about  as 
much  as  a  tomato  crate. 

Seed  production. 

The  seed  is  imported  from  Europe,  and  some  quantity 
is  grown  in  this  country.  It  is  very  difficult  to  grow  the 
seed  in  the  gardening  districts  of  the  eastern  United  States, 
as  the  heads  have  to  be  kept  over  winter,  and  the  seeds 
ripened  the  next  summer.  Fine  heads  cannot  be  kept  from 
rotting,  so  half-matured  specimens  have  to  be  chosen. 
Is  not  here  a  profitable  employment  for  a  small  capital 
in  the  South?  Our  crop  can  be  manured  early  so  that 
the  seeds  can  ripen  the  same  season.  If  an  ordinary 
crop  happened  to  be  somewhat  late,  it  might  be  allowed  to 
go  to  seed.  With  a  decrease  in  the  price  of  seed,  there 
would  be  an  increase  in  consumption.  As  cauliflower  is 
one  of  the  most  delicious  vegetables,  there  need  be  no 
fear  of  over-production. 

Varieties  of  cauliflower. 

Good  varieties  which  can  be  depended  upon  are, 
Early  Dwarf,  Erfurt,  Early  Snowball,  and  Extra  Early 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  95 

Paris.  Algiers  has  been  recommended.  Large  Asiatic 
is  grown  in  India.  The  price  of  the  seed  is  one  drawback 
in  cauliflower  raising. 

Enemies. 

The  root-maggot  is  one  of  the  worst  insect  enemies  of 
cauliflower.  It  can  be  kept  away  by  covering  the  seed- 
bed with  cheap  mosquito-bar,  and  hellebore  solution  or 
carbon  bisulfide  will  drive  it  from  mature  plants. 

The  black-rot,  caused  by  bacteria,  is  a  dreaded  disease 
in  the  southern  United  States.  When  a  field  is  once  in- 
fected, neither  cabbage  nor  cauliflower  can  be  grown  on 
it  for  some  years.  The  best  way  to  prevent  infection  of 
a  healthy  district  is  to  soak  all  the  seed  in  a  solution 
of  2  ounces  of  corrosive  sublimate  to  15  gallons  of  water, 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

Books  and  bulletins. 

Cauliflower,  Fla.  Bulletin  59,  1901. 

Cabbages  and  Cauliflowers,  by  J.  J.  H.  Gregory,  Boston,  1908. 


BROCCOLI 

Broccoli  is  a  late  and  coarse  form  of  cauliflower.  It  is 
hardier  than  cauliflower  and  keeps  well,  but  is  not  so 
choice  a  vegetable,  and  therefore  does  not  sell  as  well. 
It  may  be  grown  as  a  winter  crop  in  some  regions  where  the 
cauliflower  cannot  stand  the  frosts  without  protection. 
Thus  it  is  a  favorite  crop  in  southern  England.  Some  of 
the  varieties  are  often  confused  with  cauliflower  in  new 
markets. 


96  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  coldframe  or  seed-bed  dur- 
ing September,  or  later.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  an  inch 
high,  they  should  be  picked  out  and  transferred.  The  rows 
are  made  4  inches  apart  and  the  seedlings  set  3  or  4  inches 
in  the  row,  pressing  the  soil  about  their  roots  lightly  and 
watering  thoroughly.  A  speedy  way  of  setting  them  out 
is  to  make  a  drill  about  ^  inch  deep  and  place  the  seedlings 
in  this  in  an  upright  position,  then  press  the  soil  to  them 
from  both  sides.  After  a  part  of  a  coldframe  has  been 
set  out,  an  abundance  of  water  is  applied  in  a  very  fine 
spray.  By  separating  the  plants  in  this  way,  damping-off, 
that  often  causes  great  losses  among  plants  belonging  to 
the  cabbage  tribe,  is  largely  checked.  When  the  plants 
are  4  or  5  inches  high,  they  should  be  set  in  the  field,  or 
the  seed  may  be  sown  thinly  in  drills  4  inches  apart,  and 
the  plants  set  out  directly  in  the  field. 

The  soil  should  be  rich  sandy  loam,  deeply  prepared 
and  heavily  fertilized,  using  the  same  fertilizer  ingredients 
as  for  cauliflower.  The  rows  are  laid  off  3  feet  apart  and 
the  plants  set  18  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

As  soon  as  the  first  seedlings  are  ready  to  set  out,  they 
should  be  hardened  off  for  a  day  or  two  before  planting 
in  the  field.  If  a  cold  snap  is  just  at  hand,  the  plants  may 
be  kept  in  the  frame  for  a  week  or  two  longer.  A  fresh 
supply  of  plants  should  always  be  kept  under  special  pro- 
tection, to  be  used  in  case  of  a  hard  freeze  that  may  kill 
the  plants  in  the  field. 

Cultivation  should  be  practiced  frequently,  but  only  to 
a  medium  depth.  When  the  heads  are  maturing,  a  light 
band  of  bast  or  other  cheap  material  may  be  used  to  tie 
the  leaves  over  the  heads  for  the  purpose  of  blanching. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems  97 

When  mature,  the  heads  should  be  cut,  leaving  only  a  few 
leaves  on  to  protect  them,  and  packed  tightly  in  vegetable 
crates. 

The  leading  varieties  are  Veitch's  Self-protecting,  Purple 
Cape,  and  Mammoth  White. 

KOHLRABI 

Cultivated  plants  belonging  to  the  mustard  family  have 
been  bred  into  many  striking  forms  to  supply  the  people 
of  Europe  with  vegetables.  Cabbages  store  the  nourish- 
ment in  abundant  leaves ;  turnips  store  the  food  material 
in  the  roots;  kohlrabi  combines  the  two  and  stores  the 
nourishment  in  the  stem  at  the  base  of  the  leaves  and  above 
the  root.  In  taste  it  displays  the  same  adaptation,  for, 
while  it  partakes  of  the  flavors  of  cabbage  and  of  turnips, 
it  is  distinct  from  both.  It  is  prepared  for  eating  in  the 
same  way  as  turnip. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  coldframe  in  September, 
and  the  sowing  repeated  every  four  weeks  until  the  first 
of  February.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  an  inch  high, 
and  before  the  leaves  begin  to  appear,  they  should  be 
pricked  out  in  rows  4  inches  apart,  setting  the  plants  every 
inch  in  the  row.  When  they  are  4  or  5  inches  high,  the 
seedlings  are  planted  out  in  the  field.  Kohlrabi  may 
also  be  treated  the  same  as  cabbage  plants. 

The  soil  should  be  a  rich  loam  prepared  deeply.  The 
rows  are  made  2  feet  distant,  and  the  plants  set  a  foot 
apart  in  the  row.  Cultivation  should  be  frequent  and  to 
a  medium  depth.  As  soon  as  the  stems  have  attained 
the  diameter  of  2  inches,  they  may  be  used.  The  Early 


98  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

White  Vienna  and  the  Early  Purple  Vienna  are  ready  for 
table  use  in  about  two-and-one-half  months. 

Some  varieties  are  grown  to  feed  to  stock;  these  will 
be  found  to  be  coarse  for  table  use  when  full  grown,  but 
are  good  when  half  grown.  Kohlrabi  has  not  been  shipped 
to  any  extent  and  will  probably  not  be  of  value  for  this 
purpose.  It  is  a  good  vegetable  to  grow  in  the  tropics 
during  the  cool  season,  since  it  is  ready  to  eat  about  two 
months  after  sowing,  and  retains  a  fair  flavor.  If  allowed 
to  grow  large,  it  becomes  woody. 


PLATE  II.  —  LETTUCE. 

Top,  lettuce  grown  on  a  city  lot ;  bottom,  a  commercial  lettuce  field 
in  Florida. 


CHAPTER  XI 

VEGETABLES   WITH  EDIBLE   LEAVES   OR 
STEMS— OTHER  CROPS 

THE  leaf-  and  stem-crops  other  than  the  cabbages  and 
their  kind  are  not  closely  related  botanically.  They  belong 
to  different  natural  families,  whereas  the  cole  crops  all 
belong  to  the  mustard  family  and  even  to  the  one  genus 
Brassica.  In  this  chapter  are  brought  together  —  since 
the  cultural  requirements  are  somewhat  similar  —  such 
plants  as  lettuce,  endive,  spinach,  celery,  chicory,  parsley, 
cress,  asparagus,  artichoke. 

LETTUCE 

In  the  outer  tropical  and  in  the  subtropical  lands, 
lettuce  seed  may  be  first  sown  just  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  cool  season,  perhaps  in  October  in  northern 
regions.  After  this,  successional  sowings  may  be  made. 
Lettuce  flourishes  well  in  the  trade-wind  belts  at  an  ele- 
vation of  2000  feet  or  so.  As  it  takes  two  or  three  months 
to  mature  properly,  the  first  heads  will  not  be  ready  until 
about  the  end  of  the  year.  If  seed  is  procurable,  lettuce 
leaves  may  be  grown  in  partly  shaded  places  within  the 
tropics  throughout  the  hot  season,  but  the  plants  are 
often  weak  and  do  not  head  well.  Lettuce  seed  in  hot 


100  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

countries  is  often  carried  off  by  ants,  sometimes  to  such 
an  extent  that  it  has  to  be  sown  in  boxes  whose  supports 
stand  in  water. 

Lettuce  may  be  grown  successfully  under  extremely 
varying  conditions  of  climate,  but  in  general  it  needs  a 
rather  cool  temperature  and  humid  atmosphere.  It  is 
grown  very  extensively  without  protection  throughout  cen- 
tral Florida  and  along  the  Gulf  Coast,  for  midwinter  and 
early  spring  market.  To  do  best,  the  temperature  should 
not  fall  below  28°  F.  or  rise  above  85°  F.  While  the  young 
plants  can  endure  a  rather  low  temperature  without  being 
killed,  in  the  heading  stage  the  crop  is  likely  to  be  ruined 
by  a  sudden  fall  of  temperature  to  24°  F.  Where  such 
freezes  are  likely  to  occur,  frames  that  can  be  covered  with 
a  light  quality  of  cotton  cloth  are  prepared.  (See  lower 
figure,  Plate  V.) 

Seed-bed  for  lettuce. 

In  preparing  a  coldframe  or  seed-bed  for  lettuce,  one 
should  select  coarse  loam  and  mix  with  this  much  vegetable 
matter,  so  as  to  put  plenty  of  humus  into  the  soil.  The 
drainage  must  be  such  that  any  surplus  water  will  draw 
off  rapidly. 

The  seed  is  sown  in  shallow  drills  about  3  inches  apart, 
and  covered  lightly  with  earth.  The  bed  must  be  covered 
so  as  to  protect  it  from  the  sun  or  too  rapid  drying.  It  is 
a  good  policy  to  sprinkle  the  bed  every  morning.  From 
time  to  time  as  the  seedlings  begin  to  crowd  in  the  row,  the 
weaker  ones  should  be  pulled  out.  Transplanting  is 
done  when  the  leaves  are  one  to  three  inches  long.  If 
delayed  until  the  plants  are  larger,  the  work  is  accom- 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          101 

plished  more  easily;  but  the  chances  of  getting  a  good 
stand  are  reduced,  and  the  plants  may  suffer  greatly. 
All  inferior  plants  should  be  rejected.  In  setting  out  in 
the  field  the  plants  are  placed  in  checks  10  by  10  inches 
according  to  the  size  of  the  variety. 

Another  method  which  is  not  usually  practiced,  but  which 
gives  stronger  and  better  plants,  is  as  follows :  As  soon  as 
the  seedlings  are  up  strongly  and  before  the  leaves  begin  to 
form,  the  largest  are  picked  out  with  the  point  of  a  knife 
or  a  similar  tool.  These  seedlings  are  then  set  out  in  rows 
4  inches  apart,  and  an  inch  apart  in  the  row.  Only  first- 
class  plants  should  be  selected,  and  the  inferior  ones  de- 
stroyed. As  soon  as  the  plants  are  set  out,  they  should 
be  sprinkled  thoroughly,  and  they  will  grow  off  without  a 
perceptible  check.  Before  the  plants  begin  to  touch  in 
the  rows,  they  should  be  transplanted  again,  this  time 
being  placed  in  checks  4  by  4  inches.  At  this  time  the 
largest  should  again  be  chosen  and  the  inferior  ones  de- 
stroyed. In  a  few  weeks  from  this  second  transplanting, 
the  plants  will  be  ready  to  go  to  the  field.  If  they  are  to 
remain  in  a  coldframe,  they  should  be  planted  in  checks  10 
by  10  inches  to  14  by  14  inches,  according  to  the  variety. 
If  they  are  to  be  planted  in  the  field,  the  same  distances 
are  used. 

Nitrate  of  soda  dissolved  in  water  (about  an  ounce  to 
a  gallon)  is  often  sprinkled  on  young  lettuce  beds  to 
hasten  the  growth.  It  might  be  worth  while  to  try  nitrate 
of  potash  instead,  as  it  would  perhaps  be  less  likely  to 
induce  diseases.  Lettuce  must  make  a  quick  growth  and 
head  well,  and  to  do  this  it  requires  more  fertilizer  than 
most  other  garden  vegetables. 


102  Subtropical  Vegetabk-Gardening 

Preparing  the  lettuce  field. 

All  rubbish  should  be  removed  from  the  land  before  the 
field  is  plowed;  debris  of  any  sort  is  not  only  annoying, 
but  also  liable  to  interfere  in  cultivation  and  to  cause 
considerable  loss.  The  soil  should  be  a  friable  loam,  with 
little  silt  or  fine  sand  present.  It  should  be  rich,  but  need 
not  be  deep.  All  plowing  and  preparation  may  be  shal- 
low. 

A  convenient  way  to  plant  in  the  field  is  to  lay  the  rows 
off  at  proper  distances,  and  then  make  checks  across  the 
rows.  A  plant  is  dropped  at  each  check,  and  afterwards 
the  roots  pressed  into  the  ground  with  a  dibber ;  or  the 
forefinger  may  be  used  for  this  purpose.  The  soil  should 
be  pressed  firmly  about  the  plants,  and  the  plants  watered 
thoroughly. 

Cultivation  of  lettuce. 

If  the  weather  is  dry,  frequent  shallow  plowings  by  hand 
should  be  given.  In  a  wet  season,  the  cultivation  should 
be  deeper  and  more  thorough,  so  as  to  allow  the  surplus 
water  to  drain  off  rapidly.  It  is  not  sufficient  merely 
to  keep  the  weeds  down,  but  the  soil  must  be  kept  loose 
and  friable  all  the  time. 

Fertilizer. 

The  fertilizer  ingredients  for  lettuce  should  be  as  follows : 
ammonia,  6  per  cent;  available  phosphoric  acid,  9  per 
cent ;  potash,  12  per  cent.  Use  800  to  1000  pounds  or 
more  (some  growers  use  over  three  tons)  to  the  acre  of  the 
above  formula.  If  the  land  is  rich  is  humus,  the  amount 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          103 

of  nitrogen  may  be  cut  down  accordingly.  In  a  coldframe 
or  seed-bed,  use  a  pound  for  every  twelve  square  feet. 
The  following  amounts  of  materials  will  give  about  the 
quantity  of  each  element  called  for  in  the  formula : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACHE 
f  600  to  1200  cottonseed  meal ;   or 
Ammonia       .    .     .  \  250  to     500  muriate  of  soda ;  or 
I  200  to     400  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .    .    600  to  1200  acid  phosphate. 

f  900  to  ISOOkainit;  or 

p       ,  j  200  to  250  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

lSm j  200  to     250  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;   or 

[  400  to     500  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

The  general  formula  is  applied  broadcast  over  the  field 
and  worked  in  thoroughly  a  week  or  so  before  planting 
out.  After  the  plants  are  nearly  half-grown,  a  liberal 
application  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  nitrate  of  potash  may  be 
given.  The  quantity  to  be  used  will  range  from  100  to 
several  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre,  depending  on  circum- 
stances. If  heavy  rains  occur,  a  second  application  may 
be  necessary. 

Irrigation  for  lettuce. 

To  make  lettuce-growing  certain  and  profitable,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  some  means  of  applying  water.  When 
conditions  permit  sub-irrigation,  this  system  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred ;  when  this  is  not  practicable,  an  overhead  system 
may  successfully  be  employed.  The  amount  of  water  to 
be  used  will  vary  greatly  with  the  character  of  the  soil 


104  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

and  climatic  conditions,  but  frequent  and  light  irrigations 
are  much  more  profitable  than  heavy  ones  at  infrequent 
intervals.  Over-watering  occurs  more  frequently  in  sub- 
irrigation  than  in  over-head  irrigation.  (See  Plate  I.) 

Marketing  the  lettuce. 

The  solid  head  varieties  do  not  remain  in  a  marketable 
condition  as  long  as  the  Grand  Rapids  and  those  of  its 
type ;  therefore,  if  the  solid  varieties  are  planted,  they  will 
have  to  be  sent  forward  to  the  markets  as  soon  as  matured. 
As  a  whole,  the  eastern  markets  are  partial  to  solid  head 
lettuce,  while  the  western  markets  are  more  inclined  toward 
loose  heads.  For  local  markets,  lettuce  may  be  blanched ; 
any  simple  contrivance  that  will  shut  out  the  sun  will  do 
this.  (See  Plates  II,  III,  VII  and  XIII.) 

For  shipping,  the  crop  must  be  cut  when  it  is  dry.  It 
should  be  packed  in  a  barrel  or  open  crate ;  in  Florida  a 
standard  lettuce  hamper  is  used.  The  heads  must  be 
packed  in  firmly,  but  the  leaves  must  not  be  crushed. 
The  packing  must  be  so  firm  that  the  material  in  the  crate 
cannot  shake.  (See  Plate  VII.) 

Lettuce  seed  raising. 

For  raising  lettuce  seed,  the  plants  should  be  selected 
from  one  variety  just  as  for  the  market  crop.  When  the 
plants  are  matured,  all  individuals  that  are  not  typical 
should  be  removed  from  the  field.  If  any  plant  contracts 
disease,  it  should  be  removed  also.  About  six  weeks 
after  marketing  time,  the  plants  will  have  sent  up  a  seed- 
stalk.  A  stake  should  be  placed  in  the  ground  firmly 
beside  each  plant  and  the  plant  tied  to  the  stake.  This 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          105 

will  save  many  plants  from  being  blown  over.  The  ripen- 
ing of  the  seed  will  be  indicated  by  the  feathery  pappus  on 
the  individual  heads.  As  soon  as  a  good  number  of  heads 
are  ripe,  the  whole  plants  may  be  cut  off  and  bunched, 
and  hung  for  drying  in  the  packing-house.  As  soon  as  dry, 
the  seed  should  be  threshed,  as  it  is  very  easily  blown  away. 
Clean  out  all  chaff  and  light  seed,  and  pack  away  from  mice 
and  roaches. 

Diseases. 

Lettuce-drop  is  caused  by  a  fungus  which  lives  in  the 
soil.  The  plants  wilt  and  drop  in  a  few  hours.  Small 
black  sclerotia  may  be  seen  on  the  dead  plants.  The 
remedy  is  to  use  fresh  soil  for  seed-beds,  which  does  not 
contain  the  fungus,  and  to  clean  out  all  diseased  plants. 
The  bacterial  disease  of  lettuce  starts  as  transparent 
spots,  which  spread  over  the  leaves,  causing  them  to  die. 
This  disease  kills  the  plants  slowly. 

Varieties  of  lettuce. 

Of  the  two  classes  of  lettuce,  the  Cabbage  and  Cos,  the 
former  is  regarded  as  best  for  tropical  countries.  Of 
lettuce  varieties  grown  in  Florida  for  early  shipment  to 
northern  markets,  California  Cream  Butter  perhaps  ranks 
first,  Big  Boston  second,  and  Black-seeded  Simpson  third. 
Other  varieties  grown  are  Tennisball  Black-seeded,  and 
Mammoth  Black-seeded  Butter.  (See  Plate  III.) 

The  Grand  Rapids,  an  open-headed  variety,  is  preferred 
by  some  markets,  especially  for  garnishing  purposes. 
There  are  many  other  varieties  that  are  claiming  atten- 
tion, but  the  above  will  be  found  reliable. 


106  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Bulletins. 

American  Varieties  of  Lettuce,  U.  S.  D.  A.  Bur.  of  Plant  Ind.  Bul- 
letin 69,  1904. 
Lettuce  Culture,  Cuba  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  8,  1907. 

ENDIVE 

Endive  is  used  either  as  cooked  greens  (the  broad-leaved 
variety)  or  in  making  salads  (the  curled  endive),  but  it  is 
not  demanded  in  the  markets  of  the  southern  United 
States.  While  it  is  raised  to  a  considerable  extent  in  some 
places  in  the  northern  states,  it  receives  greater  attention 
in  Europe.  Endive  stands  heat  and  cold  better  than 
lettuce.  It  is  easily  grown  within  the  tropics  from  seed 
sown  broadcast  or  in  drills,  at  the  beginning  of  the  cool 
season,  and  the  curled  varieties  are  readily  blanched  by 
tying  up.  They  are  of  little  use  for  salads  unless  thor- 
oughly blanched.  The  plant  is  very  closely  allied  to 
chicory.  It  produces  a  dense  clump  or  rosette  of  leaves. 

A  quick  loam  is  required  to  make  a  good  crop,  but, 
like  spinach,  endive  is  a  surface-feeder.  The  land  should 
be  thoroughly  prepared  and  the  fertilizer  evenly  dis- 
tributed. Of  the  ordinary  vegetable  fertilizer  800  to 
1200  pounds  should  be  used  to  the  acre.  If  the  nitrogen 
is  in  the  form  of  vegetable  matter,  it  should  be  thoroughly 
decomposed;  if  in  the  form  of  mineral  matter,  it  had 
better  be  applied  at  different  times.  The  fertilizer  should 
be  applied  in  the  drill.  The  rows  should  be  made  about 
2  feet  apart  and  the  seed  sown  thickly,  thinning  out  later 
to  about  9  inches  in  the  row.  September  or  October  is 
the  best  time  for  sowing. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          107 

About  January  or  February,  the  crop  will  be  ready  to 
blanch ;  this  is  done  by  tying  the  outer  leaves  up  over  the 
inner  until  the  green  has  disappeared  from  the  latter.  It 
depends  much  upon  the  condition  of  the  weather  as  to 
the  length  of  time  that  will  be  required  in  blanching ;  if  the 
plants  are  growing  rapidly  and  the  weather  is  warm, 
only  half  as  much  time  will  be  required  as  when  the  weather 
is  cold.  As  soon  as  blanching  is  complete,  the  leaves  must 
be  cut,  or  decay  will  set  in.  Transplanted  endive  has  not 
yielded  as  well  as  when  not  transplanted ;  therefore,  it  is 
preferable  to  sow  an  abundance  of  seed  and  then  thin 
out.  The  marketing  is  like  that  of  spinach. 

There  are  two  classes  of  curled  endive  —  the  yellow  and 
the  green;  the  yellow  is  probably  the  more  attractive, 
but  there  is  little  choice. 


SPINACH 

Spinach  leaves  are  much  used  as  cooked  greens.  This 
easily  cultivated  plant  will  stand  a  hard  winter,  and  may 
be  readily  grown  in  the  tropics  during  the  cool  season, 
or  at  elevations  of  2000  feet  and  more.  It  forms  an  agree- 
able change  from  the  cabbage,  which  is  often  the  only 
green  vegetable  procurable,  and  that  with  difficulty,  in 
some  tropical  countries. 

In  the  northern  United  States  spinach  is  largely  grown. 
It  does  not  stand  shipping  to  a  distant  market  very  well, 
and  therefore  will  not  come  into  general  favor  with  truck- 
growers  in  the  lower  South,  though  a  large  quantity  is 
shipped  from  Virginia. 

A  warm  loam  should  be  selected  and  fertilized  heavily. 


108  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  following  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  used: 
ammonia,  3-4  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid,  7  per 
cent ;  potash,  5  per  cent.  Use  800  to  1200  pounds  to  the 
acre,  and  apply  in  the  row.  The  plowing  need  not  be 
deep,  and  a  top-dressing  of  chemical  fertilizer  after  the 
plants  have  been  started  will  be  found  advantageous. 
The  rows  should  be  made  2  feet  apart,  or  less,  and  a  seed 
dropped  about  every  inch  and  covered  with  about  an 
inch  of  soil.  September  or  October  is  the  best  time  for 
sowing.  The  plants  are  thinned  out  to  6  to  12  inches  in 
the  row  according  to  the  variety.  A  wheel-hoe  or  some 
other  shallow-running  cultivator  is  used  to  stir  up  the 
soil.  The  main  work  will  be  to  keep  the  weeds  down  and 
the  soil  moist.  If  the  ground  becomes  very  dry,  the 
plant  runs  to  seed.  Like  lettuce,  it  must  be  kept  continu- 
ously in  active  growth. 

Marketing  may  be  done  in  the  ordinary  vegetable  crate, 
or  in  ventilated  barrels,  but  the  product  must  be  thoroughly 
dry  before  it  is  packed.  The  plants  should  be  cut  so  as 
to  leave  less  than  an  inch  of  root,  the  dirt  shaken  off  well, 
all  dried  or  otherwise  worthless  leaves  removed,  and 
packed  tightly.  With  the  increased  facilities  for  transpor- 
tation, it  may  be  possible  to  supply  many  of  the  southern 
markets.  In  a  garden  it  is  usual  to  pick  the  outer  leaves 
of  the  spinach  as  they  mature. 

There  are  not  many  varieties  of  spinach  to  choose  from ; 
the  one  known  as  Round  Leaved  is  quite  common ;  the 
Improved  Curled  American  Savoy  is  also  grown  exten- 
sively. Prickly  Seeded  spinach  is  also  sold  for  winter 
growth. 

In  raising  spinach  seed,  the  barren  or  staminate  plants 


PLATE  IV.  —  CELEBT. 

Top,  largest  plant  well  rooted  and  ready  for  transplanting ;  center,  mar- 
ket celery  packed  in  a  crate ;  bottom,  celery  packing  in  field. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          109 

may  be  rooted  out  and  thrown  away  as  soon  as  the  seed 
has  set.  When  the  seed  is  ripe,  the  plants  are  hung  up 
to  dry  and  the  seed  threshed  out. 


CELERY 

Early  celery  is  grown  on  a  commercial  scale  as  far  south 
in  Florida  as  27i°  north  latitude.  It  can  be  raised  in 
gardens  in  northern  India  and  the  West  Indies  during  the 
cool  season.  It  requires  five  months  or  more  to  mature 
from  seed.  The  profit  in  this  line  of  vegetable-growing 
depends  largely  upon  individual  skill.  In  northern  sec- 
tions, as  in  Michigan  and  New  York,  celery  is  raised  as 
a  second  crop ;  but  in  Florida  it  has  to  be  raised  as  a  first 
or  cool-season  crop. 

Soil  for  celery. 

The  South  has  enough  excellent  celery  land  to  supply 
the  markets  of  the  United  States.  In  choosing  a  plot, 
two  points  must  be  kept  in  mind:  first  and  most  im- 
portant, the  soil  must  be  rich,  or  made  rich  by  heavy 
fertilizing ;  second,  the  soil  must  be  moist  and  well  drained. 
Much  of  the  drained  muckland  has  failed  to  produce 
celery  because  it  is  too  dry.  Again,  some  muckland  was 
too  new,  and  caused  the  crop  to  "  rust "  and  decay.  Celery 
raising  pays,  because  it  takes  more  skill  to  raise  it  than 
many  other  crops. 

In  northern  celery-growing  sections,  a  crop  of  early 
vegetables  is  taken  from  the  land,  and  then  the  celery  is 
planted.  The  land  having  received  a  heavy  application  of 
manure  before  the  early  vegetables  are  planted,  need  not 


110  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

be  fertilized  again  unless  some  thoroughly  rotted  compost 
can  be  obtained.  Fresh  or  undecomposed  manure  may 
cause  a  rusting  of  the  vegetable  that  unfits  it  for  market. 
The  old  method  of  growing  celery  was  to  prepare  the  land 
well  and  deeply,  and  then  make  trenches  6  to  8  inches 
deep,  and  set  the  plants  in  these  trenches.  This  method 
is  not  followed  now  by  the  best  celery-growers. 

If  one  has  a  field  of  drained  muckland,  one  should  first 
make  the  soil  sweet,  and  then  plant  the  crop.  Muckland 
may  not  be  fit  to  plant  celery  for  two  or  three  years  after 
it  has  been  reclaimed.  It  may  be  best  to  add  lime,  ground 
limestone,  or  ashes  to  correct  the  acidity.  One  of  the  best 
crops  to  prepare  the  land  for  vegetables  is  corn.  This  is 
very  exhaustive ;  but  the  roots  penetrate  the  soil  well,  and 
corn  is  able  to  stand  more  sourness  than  many  other 
crops.  Rye  and  oats  prepare  the  upper  stratum  well,  but 
their  roots  do  not  penetrate  the  soil  as  deeply  as  those  of 
corn.  When  the  soil  has  become  perfectly  homogeneous, 
and  the  vegetable  matter  thoroughly  incorporated,  one 
may  feel  sure  that  it  is  in  good  condition  for  celery.  It  is 
advisable  to  test  the  land  by  planting  out  a  short  row  of 
celery  on  a  typical  portion  the  year  before ;  the  growth  of 
this  will  tell  for  a  certainty  whether  the  soil  is  in  good  con- 
dition. When  the  soil  is  in  a  good  condition,  the  land 
should  be  plowed  deeply,  thoroughly  harrowed,  and  all 
rubbish  removed.  Before  plowing,  all  corn-stalks,  large 
weeds,  sticks,  and  anything  that  may  interfere  with 
cultivation,  should  be  removed. 

If  it  is  pinewoods  land  that  is  to  be  put  into  cultivation, 
it  must  be  cleared  of  all  woody  matter.  The  rows  are 
then  laid  off,  and  a  double  furrow  plowed  out  deeply  — 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems         111 

as  is  possible  with  a  two-horse  plow.  In  this  furrow 
thoroughly  decomposed  compost  of  muck  and  stable 
manure  is  scattered,  at  the  rate  of  about  a  two-horse 
wagon  load  to  100  feet  of  furrow.  The  soil  and  compost 
are  mixed  thoroughly,  gradually  filling  the  furrow  in  doing 
so.  When  well-rotted  vegetable  matter  cannot  be  ob- 
tained, humus  may  be  supplied  by  sowing  the  field  to  a 
rank-growing  legume,  such  as  velvet  beans.  Cowpeas 
are  not  so  desirable,  since  most  varieties  harbor  the  root- 
knot  —  a  very  serious  disease  of  celery  in  light  sandy  soils 
of  subtropical  regions. 

Fertilizer  for  celery. 

The  proportions  of  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  as 
follows :  ammonia,  6  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid, 
6  per  cent ;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  2000  pounds  or  more 
to  the  acre.  The  growers  in  Florida  use  from  two  to  three 
tons.  If  the  celery  is  planted  on  muckland,  the  amount  of 
nitrogen  should  be  reduced. 

The  following  fertilizer  ingredients  will  give  the  propor- 
tions of  the  above  formula  at  the  rate  of  2000  pounds  to 
the  acre : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

1700  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
,  1000  dried  blood;  or 

Amm°ma {    700  nitrate  of  soda;  or 

500  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid    ....      1200  acid  phosphate. 


Potash 


320  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

350  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;  or 

700  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 


112  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

In  an  extensive  trial  of  different  fertilizers  on  sub-irri- 
gated land  in  Florida,  the  following  mixture  gave  excellent 
results : 

1.  Bone-meal 1500  Ib.  to  the  acre. 

{  Fish  scrap 2200  Ib.  to  the  acre,  or 

"    [Dried  blood 1800  Ib.  to  the  acre. 

3.  High-grade  sulfate  of  potash    ....       650  Ib.  to  the  acre. 


The  seed  is  sown  in  August  or  September,  or  later,  at 
intervals  of  two  weeks,  in  a  coldframe  or  in  a  seed-bed, 
where  the  young  plants  can  be  watered  easily  and  protected 
from  the  hot  sun.  If  the  seed-bed  or  coldframe  has  been 
used  before,  new  fertilizer  must  be  added  before  seed  is 
sown.  If  a  new  seed-bed  has  to  be  made,  follow  the  direc- 
tions given  on  page  58.  Plenty  of  fertilizer  should  be 
used ;  a  pound  of  the  formula  given  may  be  used  to  every 
6  square  feet  as  a  fair  allowance.  Lime  or  ashes  should  be 
used  to  correct  any  acidity.  The  bed  should  not  be  located 
near  trees  to  secure  shade  from  them ;  they  will  exhaust 
the  soil  before  the  celery  is  ready  to  be  transplanted. 

When  the  bed  is  level  and  smooth,  shallow  drills  are 
made  by  drawing  a  stick  across,  at  intervals  of  about 
6  inches.  The  seeds  should  be  scattered  thinly.  They 
should  then  have  a  very  light  covering  of  soil  scattered 
over  them,  or  the  whole  bed  may  be  covered  with  wet 
burlap  until  the  seeds  have  germinated.  Sprinkling  with 
water  is  needed  after  the  sowing.  The  young  seedlings 
usually  require  to  be  shaded  from  the  sun's  rays  by  a 
cover  of  slats  or  cheese-cloth.  The  plants  should  be 
thinned  to  about  an  inch  apart  when  the  leaves  begin  to 


PLATE  V.  —  PLANT  BEDS. 

Above,  a  seed-bed  for  starting  celery  plants,  with  cheesecloth  covering; 
old  fertilizer  bags  on  fence  were  used  over  the  beds  to  sprout  the  seeds. 
Below,  a  canvas-covered  bed  in  which  a  cucumber  crop  is  grown. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          113 

form.     Care  should  be  exercised  to  keep  the  weeds  out  by 
cultivating  and  weeding.     (See  upper  figure,  Plate  V.) 

A  celery  bed  should  be  cultivated  at  least  every  week; 
and  while  the  weeds  are  still  in  the  seed-leaves,  they 
should  be  weeded  out.  If  the  plants  tend  to  become 
spindly,  the  tops  should  be  sheared  off  and  the  leaves 
will  grow  stocky.  Crowding  the  plants  in  the  row  makes 
them  send  out  a  strong  down-growing  root  that  might  be 
called  a  tap-root.  If  the  plants  are  not  crowded,  the  roots 
spread  out  upon  the  surface,  and  are  constantly  subject 
to  slight  droughts.  In  the  case  of  a  strong  central  root 
system,  the  plants  are  nourished  from  the  portion  of  the 
soil  that  is  constantly  moist.  Another  decided  advantage 
is  that  they  may  be  transplanted  with  less  injury  to  the 
root  system. 

Transplanting  celery. 

However  cheap  plants  may  be  in  the  market,  it  is  pref- 
erable to  grow  one's  own  plants.  However,  sometimes 
it  happens  that  celery  plants  must  be  bought  or  the  crop 
abandoned  for  that  year.  If  one  has  to  buy  plants  from 
a  distance,  the  land  must  be  quite  ready  to  receive  them 
when  they  arrive.  If  there  happens  to  be  a  dry  spell, 
the  plants  must  be  put  into  a  bed  where  they  can  be  shaded, 
and  water  in  abundance  supplied.  A  number  of  the 
plants  can  then  be  set  out,  from  time  to  time,  as  one  is 
able  to  take  care  of  them.  The  setting  out  must  not  be  de- 
layed, for  the  plants  will  soon  form  roots  from  the  re- 
serve material  within  them ;  and  if  this  has  to  be  done 
the  second  time,  it  will  be  a  severe  draft  on  the  plant. 
If  one  has  raised  his  own  plants,  he  may  delay 


114  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

transplanting  for  weeks,  awaiting  a  rain.  If  the  land 
is  in  perfect  readiness,  as  soon  as  the  plants  are  large 
enough,  which  will  be  in  six  to  ten  weeks  after  sowing, 
they  can  be  set  out.  The  time  to  transplant  is  when  the 
leaf-stalks  are  from  3  to  6  inches  long.  The  distance 
between  the  rows  is  about  3  feet  or  more,  according  to  the 
variety,  putting  the  plants  3  inches  or  more  apart  in  the 
row.  The  smaller  distances  will  give  between  50,000  and 
60,000  plants  to  the  acre.  The  surface  of  the  land  should 
be  even  and  level,  and  the  soil  mellow  and  deep.  A  line 
should  be  stretched  and  a  dibber  used  for  planting.  The 
plant  is  placed  into  the  hole  made  by  the  dibber,  and  the 
ground  pressed  around  it  firmly.  Another  method  of 
setting  out  that  is  being  practiced  largely  is  to  set  two 
rows  6  to  10  inches  apart,  placing  the  plants  6  to  8  inches 
apart  in  the  row.  The  plants  in  the  second  row  are  set 
so  as  to  come  opposite  to  the  spaces  in  the  first  row.  This 
allows  one  to  set  nearly  twice  as  many  plants  to  the  acre 
as  the  single-row  method,  and  makes  a  great  saving  in 
lumber  at  the  time  of  blanching.  In  setting  out,  the  bud 
is  placed  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  work 
of  setting  out  can  be  facilitated  by  cutting  the  roots 
and  leaves  to  the  proper  size  before  taking  to  the  field.  An 
active  boy  may  be  employed  to  drop  the  plants  for  the 
man  doing  the  setting  out.  (See  upper  figure,  Plate  IV.) 
After  setting,  the  plants  must  be  watered,  unless  the 
setting  out  is  done  immediately  after  a  rain.  After 
watering,  as  soon  as  the  water  has  soaked  into  the  ground,  a 
thin  layer  of  dry  soil  is  raked  over  the  soil  which  has  been 
moistened.  If  it  is  after  a  rain,  the  ground  should  be 
worked  lightly  to  give  some  loose  soil  on  top.  These 


PLATE  VI.  —  CELEBY. 

Top  left,  well-grown  celery  plants  (Golden  Self-blanching) ;  top  right, 
foot-press,  for  packing  celery;  bottom,  blanching  celery  by  means  of 
boards. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          115 

directions,  if  followed  out,  will  do  much  to  conserve  the 
moisture. 

A  few  days  before  transplanting,  the  plants  should  be 
hardened  off  to  lessen  the  shock  of  transplanting.  After 
having  set  the  plants  out,  they  may  be  shaded  to  accustom 
them  gradually  to  the  field.  The  best  device  for  this  is  an 
8-  or  10-inch  board  placed  obliquely  over  the  row.  The 
board  is  secured  by  stakes,  which  are  driven  on  the 
south  side  of  the  row,  slanting  toward  the  north ;  by  lean- 
ing a  board  against  these,  the  plants  will  stand  in  the 
shade  during  the  hotter  part  of  the  day,  and  be  exposed 
to  the  sun  in  the  evening  and  morning.  If  the  plants  are 
exposed  to  frost,  they  often  run  to  seed  prematurely. 

Celery  is  cultivated  five  or  six  times  after  setting  out, 
and  the  earth  may  be  gradually  drawn  up  to  the  row, 
keeping  the  foliage  on  top  of  a  ridge.  In  the  family  garden, 
this  is  done  with  a  hoe,  but  on  celery  farms  special  plows 
are  used  for  this  purpose,  drawn  by  a  team,  and  hilling  both 
sides  at  once.  This  banking  is  for  the  purpose  of  blanch- 
ing. Shutting  out  the  light  in  other  ways  is  just  as  good 
as  banking  or  hilling,  if  it  keeps  the  light  out  as  thoroughly. 
Another  way  of  blanching  or  bleaching  that  is  employed 
extensively  is  to  use  boards  in  place  of  earth.  This  method 
has  the  advantage  of  causing  less  discoloration  and  decay. 
Eight-  to  12-inch  boards  are  used,  according  to  the  variety 
of  celery  to  be  blanched,  and  laid  flat  alongside  the  row 
on  each  side  with  one  edge  next  to  the  plants ;  the  outer 
edge  of  the  boards  is  raised  up  against  the  plants  and 
the  lower  edge  moved  out  a  few  inches,  the  board  pressed 
down  to  shut  out  all  light  from  the  bottom,  and  the  work  of 
banking  is  done.  If  there  is  danger  of  the  boards  falling, 


116  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

they  may  be  fastened  by  nailing  a  light  strip  from  one  to 
the  other.  The  upper  edges  of  the  boards  should  be 
pressed  together  firmly,  but  not  hard  enough  to  bruise  the 
leaves.  The  boards  may  be  staked  down  on  each  side, 
upright  at  first  and  slanted  in  later.  In  two  or  three  weeks 
the  celery  will  be  blanched  sufficiently  for  use. 

Among  other  methods  of  blanching  are  those  of  putting 
drain  tiles  around  the  plants,  and  of  wrapping  them  with 
thick  paper,  or  covering  with  a  paper  tube;  but  all  of 
these  have  failed  to  meet  the  wants  of  celery-growers. 

Late  in  the  season,  or  when  celery  has  attained  its  full 
growth,  it  takes  nearly  twice  as  long  to  blanch.  This 
should  be  borne  in  mind  when  celery  is  to  be  prepared  for  a 
fixed  date.  (See  lower  figure,  Plate  VI.) 

Irrigation  of  celery. 

In  following  celery  culture,  it  may  be  necessary  to  resort 
to  irrigation,  for  the  water  supply.  This  supply  may  be 
distributed  in  one  of  three  ways,  —  either  by  open  ditches 
at  short  intervals,  by  running  tiles  below  the  surface  (sub- 
irrigation),  or  by  an  over-head  spray. 

When  the  water  is  distributed  by  open  ditches,  they  are 
cut  3  to  4  feet  apart.  In  watering,  these  are  allowed  to 
flow  full  until  the  earth  is  thoroughly  soaked,  then  the 
water  is  turned  into  another  set,  and  this  is  continued  until 
the  whole  area  has  been  treated.  These  ditches  are  shal- 
low, only  a  few  inches  deep.  On  a  clayey  soil,  they  are 
run  nearly  on  the  level ;  but  on  sandy  loam,  there  must 
be  a  considerable  decline  in  order  that  the  water  may 
reach  the  further  end.  It  requires  a  fall  of  1  to  3  inches  to 
100  feet  to  make  water  run  well  on  dry  sandy  soil. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems         117 

Sub-irrigation  by  the  use  of  drain  tiles,  or  other  more  or 
less  solid  pipes  laid  into  the  soil,  is  the  better  plan.  This  is 
especially  advisable  when  the  water  supply  is  large  and 
can  be  cheaply  obtained.  To  make  sub-irrigation  a  suc- 
cess, it  is  necessary  that  the  field  should  have  a  more  or  less 
impervious  substratum  not  more  than  5  to  10  feet  down, 
or  that  the  water-table  should  stand  rather  near  the 
surface.  In  this,  as  in  the  open  ditches,  there  is  a  water- 
main,  running  from  which  are  the  arms  that  supply  the 
crop.  When  the  land  is  perfectly  level,  the  lines  of  tile 
are  laid  at  regular  intervals  of  12  to  60  feet.  When  the 
land  is  not  level,  they  must  be  laid  on  the  contour  lines. 
This  is  less  convenient,  since  the  celery  rows  must  be  made 
parallel  to  the  lines  of  tile.  With  a  sub-irrigation  system, 
much  damage  may  be  done  by  too  free  use  of  water; 
otherwise  it  is  ideal.  In  Florida,  artesian  or  flowing  wells 
form  a  cheap  and  continuous  source  of  water  for  irrigating 
celery.  (See  lower  figure,  Plate  I.) 

The  over-head  system  of  irrigation  has  been  used  success- 
fully with  celery  in  a  number  of  places.  Its  main  difficulty 
lies  in  the  fact  that  it  brings  about  conditions  favorable  to 
the  propagation  of  leaf  blights.  In  this  system  the  water 
is  supplied  as  a  spray  from  small  nozzles  in  over-head 
lines  of  pipe. 

There  is  an  extensive  market  for  high-grade  celery  in 
the  late  winter  and  spring ;  that  is,  after  the  crop  grown  in 
temperate  climates  has  become  exhausted  and  before  a  new 
crop  can  be  produced.  The  celery  must  be  crisp  and  have 
a  nutty  flavor  to  sell  well.  W7ith  rapid  and  certain  trans- 
portation, celery  can  be  grown  in  many  subtropical 
regions  to  supply  the  large  centers  of  population. 


118  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Preparing  celery  for  market. 

Celery  is  not  grown  so  generally  in  the  subtropical  parts 
of  North  America  that  the  local  markets  are  supplied. 
There  are  only  a  few  places  that  produce  it,  and  these  do 
so  in  quantity.  It  has  been  only  a  few  years  since  garden- 
ing for  local  sale  has  been  profitable  in  many  sections  of 
the  southern  United  States,  and  in  some  it  is  not  meeting 
with  success  even  now.  The  fault  is  as  much  that  of  the 
producer  as  of  the  buyer.  There  are  many  reasons  why 
one  should  cultivate  home  markets. 

In  the  matter  of  preparation  for  market,  there  seems 
to  be  little  choice.  The  main  requirements  are  to  get  the 
celery  on  sale  in  a  crisp  form,  and  to  have  it  sightly ;  both 
ends  are  often  overlooked,  however.  In  the  northern 
markets,  there  are  two  distinct  ways  of  preparing  this 
vegetable  for  market.  For  the  local  markets,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  use  any  particular  form  of  package ;  yet,  when 
one  intends  to  establish  a  business,  some  regular  form  of 
package  or  crate  should  be  adopted,  as  it  makes  a  trade- 
mark. The  crate  should  be  light  and  tasty.  For  long- 
distance shipping,  the  celery  plants  are  cut  with  a  celery 
cutter  pushed  by  a  man.  The  outer  leaves  are  removed 
and  the  celery  sorted  into  grades  of  2|,  3,  4,  or  6  dozen 
to  the  crate.  The  celery  is  then  packed  flat  into  crates 
10  by  27  by  27  inches,  the  root  ends  together,  and  shipped 
in  refrigerator  cars.  (See  Plate  IV.) 

Diseases. 

The  worst  disease  of  the  celery  in  Florida  is  that  known 
as  rust  or  blight.  This  has  destroyed  many  acres,  es- 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Steins          119 

pecially  of  the  late  celery  in  March  and  April.  The 
remedy  is  to  spray  the  plants  in  the  seed-bed  and  field 
with  bordeaux  mixture  or  sulfur  solutions. 

Black-heart  and  foot-rot  seem  to  be  led  up  to  by  too 
much  moisture.  They  are  infectious,  and  the  fields  should 
be  well  cleaned  of  diseased  plants. 

Varieties  of  celery. 

Golden  Self-blanching  is  the  chief  variety  of  celery 
in  Florida.  Several  other  varieties  have  been  grown, 
such  as  White  Plume,  and  Giant  Pascal,  but  with  less 
profit. 

Bulletins. 

Celery,  Farmers'  Bulletin  282,  April,  1907. 

Celery  Growing  in  Colorado,  Colo.  Bulletin  144,  March,  1909. 

Celery,  S.  C.  Bulletin  144,  April,  1909. 


CHICORY 

Common  chicory  is  grown  for  the  roots,  which  are  dried 
and  used  as  a  substitute  for  coffee,  or  as  an  addition  to  it. 
Other  varieties  are  cultivated  for  their  leaves  and  leaf- 
stalks. It  is  used  largely  in  France  and  the  Netherlands 
and  to  some  extent  in  England. 

The  roots  of  chicory  are  used  as  a  coffee  substitute. 
With  this  product  we  are  not  here  concerned,  but  with  the 
leaves,  which  are  used  as  a  salad  product. 

The  usual  garden  soil  will  be  found  sufficiently  rich  for 
this  plant,  and  will  need  little  care  in  the  way  of  prepara- 


120  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

tion.  The  rows  should  be  prepared  in  a  way  similar  to  that 
for  parsnips  and  other  root  crops.  The  seeds  are  sown  in 
early  spring  for  late  spring  or  summer  crop.  By  sowing  in 
February,  the  crop  will  be  ready  for  use  in  April  or  May. 
Less  time  will  be  required  for  the  late  summer  crop  to 
mature. 

The  cultivation  is  simple,  merely  enough  to  keep  the 
weeds  down,  and  the  ground  somewhat  loose.  Deep  cul- 
tivation will  be  found  advantageous.  A  week  or  ten  days 
before  the  leaves  are  wanted  for  use,  some  soil  should  be 
worked  up  to  the  plant  to  blanch  the  stalks  and  leaves. 
As  soon  as  these  are  well  blanched,  they  may  be  taken  to 
the  kitchen  and  cooked  or  prepared  as  salad.  For  winter 
chicory,  the  seed  should  be  sown  during  August  or  Septem- 
ber. It  will  be  necessary  to  protect  it  during  the  summer 
rains,  and  also  from  the  hot  fall  sun.  As  soon  as  cold 
weather  comes,  the  soil  may  be  banked  up  around  it  to 
blanch  the  leaves,  or  the  leaves  may  be  removed  entirely 
and  a  mound  may  be  made  over  the  row.  In  a  short 
time  the  leaves  will  force  their  way  through  the  mound, 
and  the  stalks  will  be  blanched  and  ready  for  use  as 
salad.  Two  or  three  crops  may  be  gathered  from  strong 
roots. 

Another  way  to  secure  well  blanched  chicory  will  be  to 
remove  the  roots  from  the  soil  during  December  and  place 
them  in  a  deep  box,  working  some  garden  soil  among  them 
at  the  same  time.  About  eight  or  ten  strong  roots  should 
be  placed  to  the  square  foot  of  box.  The  box  should  be 
about  a  foot  higher  than  the  crown  of  these  plants.  By 
applying  a  gentle  bottom  heat,  new  leaves  will  be  thrown 
out  rapidly,  and  as  soon  as  these  reach  a  length  of  eight 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Sterns  121 

or  ten  inches  they  will  be  ready  for  use,  provided  the  box 
has  been  covered  to  keep  the  light  out. 


PARSLEY 

Parsley  can  be  grown  well  in  Florida,  Louisiana,  the 
West  Indies,  and  in  India,  especially  if  slightly  shaded,  as 
by  a  roof  of  slats.  This  hardy  umbellifer  is  a  native  of 
the  Mediterranean  countries,  and  has  been  cultivated  for 
about  a  thousand  years. 

The  seeds  may  be  sown  at  almost  any  time  in  frostless 
countries,  and  leaves  ready  for  picking  are  produced  in 
less  than  three  months. 

Parsley  is  so  easily  grown  that  no  garden  need  be  with- 
out it,  and  yet  it  is  rather  scarce,  especially  in  the  southern 
markets.  Its  production  scarcely  reaches  the  dignity  of  a 
crop,  though  around  New  York  and  Chicago,  the  entire 
amount  would  cover  some  acres.  The  Germans  use  both 
roots  and  leaves  as  flavoring;  while  Americans  use  only 
the  leaves,  and  these  mainly  as  a  garnishing. 

The  seed  of  parsley  is  reckoned  good  if  76  per  cent  ger- 
minates. One  ounce  of  seed  is  sufficient  for  150  feet  of 
drill.  It  may  be  sown  in  Florida  in  November.  Since 
the  seeds  often  germinate  slowly,  it  is  sometimes  well  to 
soak  them  for  a  day  in  water  and  sow  them  with  sand. 
The  drills  are  a  foot  apart  and  j  inch  deep,  and  the  seed- 
lings thinned  out  to  4  to  6  inches.  In  case  the  weather  is 
dry,  it  may  be  best  to  sow  the  seeds  in  a  seed-bed,  where 
they  can  be  kept  damp  and  shaded  for  three  or  four  weeks 
until  they  have  germinated.  A  good  plan  and  a  useful  one, 
is  to  sow  the  seed  in  a  broad  border  row  around  a  flower- 


122  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

bed ;  this  remains  green  during  the  severest  weather.  For 
this  purpose  the  seed  should  be  sown  about  the  first  of 
November,  or  in  regions  north  of  the  lower  Gulf  region, 
about  the  first  of  October.  As  the  plants  grow  larger 
they  should  be  thinned  out,  so  as  to  have  from  four  to 
nine  plants  to  the  square  foot.  If  the  flower-stalks  are 
cut  down  early,  the  yield  of  leaves  is  prolonged. 

Parsley  can  scarcely  be  over-fertilized  by  using  manure. 
If  commercial  fertilizer  is  used,  an  abundance  of  cotton- 
seed meal  should  be  given  as  a  source  of  nitrogen.  The 
general  directions  for  fertilizing  and  the  amounts  given 
for  parsnips  will  be  found  useful  for  this  crop. 

Parsley  readily  produces  seed  in  six  months  or  so  after 
sowing.  The  plants  left  for  seed  should  be  selected  for 
their  leaves  and  allowed  a  space  of  l|  feet  apart.  The 
seed  stalks  are  dried  when  the  seed  is  mature  and  the  seed 
threshed  out. 

The  Plain-leaved  variety  of  parsley  is  most  used  for 
flavoring  soups,  fish,  and  the  like.  The  Creole  Plain- 
leaved  has  long  been  acclimatized  in  Louisiana.  For 
garnishing,  the  Moss  Curled  and  the  Extra  Curled  will 
be  found  desirable.  The  variety  known  as  Hamburg 
or  Turnip-rooted  has  a  large  root,  which  is  the  part 
used  in  flavoring  or  in  salads. 


CRESS 

Of  cresses  there  are  several  very  different  kinds  or  groups, 
all  belonging  to  the  mustard  family.  We  may  here  treat 
only  three,  as  the  others  are  little  grown.  These  three  are 
the  common  garden  cress,  Lepidiwn  satimim;  the  upland 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          123 

cress,  Barbarea  mdgaris  and  B.  prcecox;    and  the  water- 
cress, Radicula  Nasturtium-aquaticum. 

Garden  cress. 

Garden  cress  is  a  plant  of  long  cultivation  in  Asia  and 
Europe,  and  is  used  in  salads.  It  produces  leaves  fit 
for  use  in  about  a  month  and  a  half.  The  leaves  are  only 
of  use  when  tender.  It  may  be  sown  broadcast  and  thinly, 
and  may  be  grown  in  the  tropics  during  the  cool  season. 
In  England  it  is  often  used  for  salads  when  the  first  true 
leaves  are  very  young;  in  which  case  it  may  be  sown 
thickly  in  pans  or  boxes  at  almost  any  time  of  the  year, 
and  from  the  Arctic  to  the  equator.  There  are  varieties 
with  curled  and  plain  leaves. 

Upland  cress. 

Upland  cress  is  an  American  wild  cress  (Barbarea)  and 
takes  rather  longer  to  grow  than  the  garden  cress.  It  is 
used  in  salads  and  much  like  water-cress.  It  is  grown 
in  the  cool  season. 

Water-cress. 

Water-cress  can  be  grown  readily  in  cool  spring  water  in 
tropical  countries,  and  may  be  met  with  in  the  West  Indies 
along  the  banks  of  the  streams.  It  is  not  advisable, 
however,  in  the  tropics,  to  grow  this  plant  in  any  water 
except  that  which  is  fit  to  drink.  The  best  place  for  plant- 
ing water-cress  is  some  running  stream  that  has  a  firm  or 
more  or  less  solid  bottom  and  is  supplied  by  a  spring.  A 
small  stream  that  is  subject  to  floods  during  the  rainy 
weather  will  not  be  suitable,  as  the  plants  are  liable  to  be 


124  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

washed  away.  A  single  spring  will  provide  a  sufficient 
area  to  supply  all  the  cress  that  a  family  will  want  to  use. 
If  more  is  needed,  beds  may  be  excavated  just  below  the 
level  of  the  stream,  planted  and  then  flooded.  The 
sowing  is  very  simple ;  it  amounts  to  nothing  but  drop- 
ping the  seed  in  a  moist  place.  The  best  time  for  this  is 
during  September,  October,  or  November.  A  ten-cent 
package  will  yield  all  the  cress  that  several  families  will 
care  to  use.  After  a  little  patch  is  once  established  it  will 
continue  to  produce  this  vegetable  for  several  years,  but 
sooner  or  later,  from  various  reasons,  it  will  have  to  be  sown 
or  replanted.  There  is  no  extensive  market  for  this  prod- 
uct, and  yet  there  are  hundreds  of  families  in  the  South 
who  would  be  glad  to  have  it.  All  that  is  necessary  in 
preparing  it  for  the  table  is  to  see  that  the  branches  that 
have  been  cut  off  are  thoroughly  washed  and  freed  from 
dirt.  It  is  usually  eaten  with  salt.  It  is  excellent  when 
prepared  as  salad.  Water-cress  is  sold  to  a  large  extent 
during  the  cool  months  in  the  large  cities  of  the  United 
States  and  Europe.  The  best  English  water-cress  is 
grown  in  spring  water  coming  directly  from  underground, 
so  that  it  is  warm  in  the  winter. 


ASPARAGUS 

The  edible  shoots,  which  form  this  vegetable,  sprout  up 
in  quantities  only  after  the  plants  have  been  resting  during 
the  cold  season;  thus  in  regions  where  there  is  no  cold, 
but  only  a  cool  season,  asparagus  does  not  flourish.  Thus, 
in  India,  asparagus  can  only  be  grown  fairly  well  on  the 
mountains,  some  thousands  of  feet  high.  Asparagus  does 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Steins          125 

not  do  well  in  the  greater  part  of  Florida,  though  it  is 
grown  to  some  extent  in  other  southern  states,  and  ex- 
tensively in  California.  In  the  states  where  it  is  grown 
for  the  New  York  markets,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  spend 
from  $300  to  $600  an  acre  for  fertilizer.  Manure  from 
the  large  cities  is  employed  to  a  considerable  extent,  and 
chemical  fertilizer  may  be  used  with  profit.  Asparagus 
will  not  succeed  without  proper  attention  being  given 
to  cultivation  and  fertilization,  although  the  idea  has 
sometimes  become  current  that  it  will  do  well  under  any 
treatment,  and  that  no  attention  is  required  except  to 
gather  the  crop.  It  may  be  grown  for  home  use,  to  a 
limited  extent,  as  far  south  as  central  Florida. 

In  selecting  the  field  it  should  be  moist  and  yet  not  wet ; 
a  water-soaked  piece  will  not  grow  this  crop.  While  it 
wants  an  abundance  of  moisture,  the  soil  must  not  be 
sour.  Wet  land  that  has  been  drained  often  makes  the 
best  plots. 

Preparation  of  the  asparagus  plot. 

Deep  plowing,  to  loosen  up  the  subsoil,  is  the  first  act 
after  the  plot  has  been  drained.  Among  the  best  growers, 
the  opinion  is  held  that  it  is  difficult  to  make  the  land  too 
rich,  or  have  it  too  well  prepared.  The  roots  penetrate 
the  soil  deeply  and  widely,  as  asparagus  is  a  gross  feeder. 
The  fertilizer  usually  employed  contains  much  organic 
matter,  such  as  compost  and  rakings  from  yards;  this  is 
mixed  thoroughly  with  the  soil,  and  is  often  applied 
before  the  plants  are  set  out.  After  they  have  started, 
a  top  dressing  of  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  is  given. 
When  the  plantation  is  made  a  considerable  distance  from 


126  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  sea  coast,  it  is  customary  to  give  a  heavy  application  of 
salt;  this  may  be  applied  without  injury  at  the  rate  of 
two  pounds  to  the  square  yard.  The  application  of  salt 
seems  to  do  benefit  chiefly  by  keeping  down  weeds,  and 
where  the  cost  of  salt  is  less  than  the  cost  of  cultivation  it 
may  pay  to  apply  it. 

Fertilizer  for  asparagus. 

The  proportion  of  fertilizer  ingredients  for  asparagus 
should  be  as  follows :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available 
phosphoric  acid,  7  per  cent ;  potash,  5  per  cent.  Use  1500 
pounds  to  the  acre.  When  possible,  20  to  40  tons  of 
vegetable  material  should  be  applied,  such  as  partially 
rotted  Takings,  or  barnyard  manure.  When  such  vege- 
table matter  is  procurable,  the  quantity  of  nitrogen  may  be 
decreased  proportionately.  If  manure  is  procurable,  al- 
lowance may  be  made  for  the  fertilizer  elements  contained 
therein.  Ten  thousand  pounds  of  asparagus  (edible 
part)  contained  21  pounds  nitrogen,  10  pounds  phos- 
phoric acid,  and  26  pounds  potash. 

The  following  table  indicates  the  amounts  of  different 
fertilizing  materials  necessary  to  give  the  desired  quantity 
of  each  element :  POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

800  to  1000  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
350  to     400  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 

'ma 275  to     SOOsulfateof  ammonia;  or 

400  to     600  dried  blood. 

Phosphoric  acid     ...    750  to  1000  acid  phosphate. 
300  to    500  kainit ;  or 
150  muriate  of  potash;  or 
150  sulf ate  of  potash,  high-grade ;  or 
250  to    300  sulf  ate  of  potash,  low-grade. 


Potash 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          127 

Planting  asparagus. 

The  quickest  way  to  make  a  beginning  in  asparagus 
growing  is  to  buy  several  hundred  or  a  thousand  roots 
from  a  seedsman.  These  are  not  expensive,  and  will  make 
a  fair  test  as  to  whether  it  will  be  desirable  or  not  to  go  into 
growing  asparagus  as  a  business.  It  is  agreed  that  the 
cheapest  and  best  way  to  raise  asparagus  is  to  sow  the  seed 
in  a  seed-bed,  cultivate  for  one  year,  and  plant  out  in  the 
field  next  spring.  One-year-old  plants,  if  well  grown,  — 
as  they  would  be  if  at  all  cared  for  during  the  long  growing 
season  of  the  South,  —  are  universally  preferred  to  two- 
year-old  roots  for  planting  out.  Rows  3  feet  apart  should 
be  laid  off  and  the  plants  set  a  foot  to  18  inches  apart  in  a 
row.  During  the  first  year  the  field  should  be  well  worked 
and  no  weeds  allowed  to  get  a  start.  The  second  year, 
less  cultivation  will  do.  A  top-dressing  of  fertilizer  is 
applied  to  an  asparagus  field  every  spring. 

Cutting. 

While  asparagus  plants  will  be  found  to  give  a  few  stems 
one  year  from  transplanting,  it  is  better  practice  to  let 
them  grow  up,  and  to  cut  only  sparingly  in  the  second 
year.  In  gathering,  care  should  be  taken  to  leave  some 
strong  shoots  to  form  a  leaf  system  for  the  plant.  In 
cutting,  a  little  of  the  soil  is  removed,  and  the  aspara- 
gus knife  is  then  pushed  down  carefully  so  as  not  to 
injure  any  of  the  stems  that  are  just  beginning  to 
grow  up.  A  slight  twist  of  the  knife  will  separate  the 
stem  from  the  root. 

The  green  tops  are  afterwards  allowed  to  grow,  so  as 


128  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

to  store  up  food  in  the  roots  for  next  year's  crop  of  shoots. 
If  cutting  goes  on  too  long,  the  next  crop  will  be  small. 

Bunching  and  crating  asparagus. 

The  stems  are  usually  cut  when  they  are  about  6  inches 
above  the  ground,  and  since  they  are  cut  3  or  4  inches 
below  the  ground,  the  shoots  are  9  or  10  inches  long. 
The  stems  are  laid  into  some  kind  of  contrivance,  either 
home-made  or  bought,  that  will  keep  them  straight  and 
keep  the  tips  even.  A  simple  buncher  is  made  by  using 
a  board  8  by  12  inches;  to  one  end  of  this  a  thin  board 
8  by  8  inches  is  nailed ;  three  or  four  U-shaped  iron  straps 
are  nailed  on  to  the  8-  by  12-inch  piece,  so  that  they  will  be 
parallel  to  the  8-  by  8-inch  board,  and  when  the  asparagus 
is  laid  into  these  the  heads  will  abut  against  the  board. 
This  8-  by  8-inch  board  will  keep  the  heads  even,  and  the 
U-shaped  straps  make  the  bunch  round.  Strings  of  raffia 
or  soft  cord  are  laid  across  the  buncher,  and  when  enough 
of  the  vegetable  to  make  a  bunch  has  been  added,  the 
whole  is  tied  tightly.  Then  with  a  sharp  knife  the  butts 
are  cut  square,  and  the  work  is  done.  A  handier  buncher 
may  be  obtained  from  dealers  in  garden  implements  at 
a  small  cost.  Such  a  buncher  will  be  found  profitable 
when  much  asparagus  is  to  be  prepared  for  market. 

Marketing. 

A  carrier  for  shipping  to  a  distant  market  must  be  either 
a  half -crate  or  one  divided  so  as  to  hold  one  tier  of  bunches 
in  a  compartment.  Some  soft  moist  material,  as  moss  or 
grass  is  placed  in  the  bottom,  and  the  bunches  set  upright 
on  this ;  a  layer  of  the  same  soft  material  is  then  put  on 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Steins          129 

and  the  wooden  cover  fixed  over  the  tier.  Another  tier  may 
be  put  above  in  the  same  manner.  These  crates  must  be 
sent  to  the  market  right  side  up.  Care  must  be  taken  not 
to  bruise  or  otherwise  mutilate  the  stems,  as  this  is  likely 
to  cause  them  to  rot  in  transit. 

Blanching. 

Often  an  asparagus  plot  is  not  cultivated,  but  this  may 
be  done  with  profit.  It  too  often  happens  that  the 
asparagus  plants  are  allowed  to  drop  their  seed.  The 
seedlings  spring  up  between  the  rows  and  obliterate  them, 
and  also  crowd  the  plants,  making  the  stalks  come  up 
slender  and  too  small  for  market.  If  all  seed-stalks  are 
cut  off  before  the  berries  are  half  grown,  this  difficulty  will 
be  obviated.  To  blanch  the  product,  a  furrow  is  thrown 
upon  the  rows  from  each  side  and  raked  level.  By  so 
doing  the  plants  are  buried  several  inches  deeper  than  they 
grew.  The  light  being  excluded  from  the  growing  shoot, 
no  chlorophyll  forms  until  the  tip  bursts  through  the  soil, 
when  the  cutting  should  be  done.  After  the  winter  frosts 
have  killed  the  plants  to  the  ground,  the  tops  may  be  re- 
moved and  composted,  and  the  bed  raked,  to  be  ready  for 
early  spring  cutting.  While  our  markets  do  not  call 
for  blanched  asparagus,  the  blanched  articles  will  sell 
first  when  both  are  on  the  same  market  and  offered  for 
the  same  price,  indicating  that  there  is  a  decided  pref- 
erence for  the  blanched  vegetable. 

Raising  asparagus  plants. 

In  summer,  certain  of  the  stalks  produce  flowers,  and 
later,  seed ;  this  is  in  small  berries  about  the  size  of  peas. 


130  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Only  about  half  of  the  asparagus  plants  produce  berries, 
the  others  having  barren  or  staminate  flowers.  It  has  been 
found  that  the  plants  with  the  barren  flowers  produce  more 
and  better  shoots.  When  the  berries  are  ripe  they  turn  a 
bright  red,  and  in  a  short  time  are  liable  to  fall  from  the 
plant.  When  the  seed  is  desired,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
collect  the  stems  bearing  the  berries  for  storing.  As 
stated  before,  if  one  does  not  want  to  save  the  seed,  all 
plants  bearing  green  berries  should  be  cut  off  to  keep  the 
bed  from  being  crowded  by  seedlings  that  would  spring 
up  from  these  seeds  if  allowed  to  fall.  Another  way  of 
getting  the  seed  is  to  go  into  the  field  and  strip  off  the 
ripe  berries  by  hand.  If  the  plants  are  cut  to  obtain  the 
seed,  they  should  be  dried,  when  the  berries  may  be  beaten 
off  on  a  cloth.  The  seed  is  so  common  that  there  is  no 
sale  for  it. 

For  sowing  seed,  a  rich  piece  of  land  should  be  prepared 
by  plowing  deeply,  and  laying  off  rows  about  20  inches 
apart;  the  seeds  are  dropped  about  an  inch  apart  in  a 
drill  and  covered  an  inch  deep.  When  the  plants  are  about 
4  or  5  inches  high,  thin  out  to  one  in  4  or  5  inches. 

Canning  asparagus. 

Much  of  the  asparagus  used  in  the  South  has  been 
canned.  The  operation  is  similar  to  that  for  other 
vegetables  or  fruit.  (See  Farmers'  Bulletin  359  of  the 
U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agric.) 

Enemies. 

The  two  chief  enemies  of  asparagus  are  the  asparagus 
rust  and  the  asparagus  beetle. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems         131 

The  asparagus  rust  was  epidemic  in  the  Atlantic  States 
in  1896  and  subsequent  years,  and  caused  the  transfer  of 
the  canning  industry  to  California.  The  rust  reached 
South  Carolina  in  1897,  and  spread  to  California  in  1901. 
The  summer-rust  is  red  and  the  fall-rust  black.  The 
disease  affects  the  tops,  and  if  left  uncontrolled  finally 
ruins  the  crop.  It  may  be  stopped  by  spraying  with 
sulfur  and  alkali,  and  by  preventing  all  volunteer  or  other 
growths  of  asparagus  until  cutting  is  over. 

The  blue  asparagus  beetle  and  its  larvae  work  on  the 
shoots  first  and  then  on  the  tops.  In  1862  and  subse- 
quent years  they  were  epidemic  in  New  York,  and  some 
plantations  were  abandoned  in  consequence.  In  1908 
these  beetles  were  found  on  asparagus  in  North  Carolina. 
They  can  easily  be  kept  in  check  by  the  application  of 
paris  green  or  arsenate  of  lead  to  the  tops  after  cutting  is 
over.  The  larvae  of  the  spotted  asparagus  beetle  live  in 
the  berries. 

Varieties  of  asparagus. 

Connover's  Colossal  and  its  related  varieties,  as  Giant 
Brunswick,  are  liable  to  much  damage  from  rust,  though 
they  are  the  best  for  canning.  Palmetto  and  Argenteuil 
give  far  better  yields  when  rust  is  present.  The  variation 
in  the  different  varieties  is  probably  less  than  in  most  vege- 
tables. The  same  variety  under  different  treatment  often 
varies  more  than  different  varieties  under  similar  treat- 
ment. 

Bulletins. 

Asparagus  Culture,  Farmers'  Bulletin  61,  1897. 
Experiments  with  Asparagus,  N.  J.  Bulletin  173,  1904. 


132  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Asparagus  in  California,  Cal.  Bulletin  165,  1905. 
Asparagus  and  Salt,  Ark.  Bulletin  86,  1905. 
Asparagus  Rust  Control,  Cal.  Bulletin  172,  1906. 


GLOBE   ARTICHOKE 

The  globe  artichoke  (Cynara  Scolymus)  is  native  of  the 
country  about  the  Mediterranean.  It  is  a  favorite  vege- 
table in  France  and  other  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  well 
suited  to  subtropical  regions,  and  is  cultivated  in  India 
in  the  cool  season,  plants  from  acclimated  seed  yielding 
heads  even  at  Calcutta.  Its  huge  flower-heads  are 
cooked  and  eaten,  like  asparagus,  before  the  blue  florets 
show,  the  unopened  florets  being  first  removed.  This 
cultivated  thistle  should  not  be  confused  with  the  Jerusa- 
lem artichoke,  which  is  a  sunflower. 

The  seed  may  be  obtained  from  American  houses,  but 
it  comes  from  Europe.  The  soil  and  climate  of  the  south- 
ern states  are  much  like  those  of  France,  and  good  arti- 
chokes can  be  grown  in  the  South.  The  Large  Green 
Globe  is  one  of  the  best  varieties. 

For  growing  globe  artichoke,  a  rich  soil  should  be 
prepared  in  the  ordinary  way  to  the  depth  of  8  or  10 
inches.  The  seed  is  sown  in  rows  3  or  4  feet  apart, 
and  the  plants  thinned  to  3  feet  apart  in  the  row.  When 
artichokes  are  grown  regularly,  sets  can  be  used  instead  of 
seeds.  The  soil  must  be  moist  and  well  drained.  During 
hot,  dry  weather  it  may  be  necessary  to  supply  water  so 
that  the  young  plants  may  become  well  established. 

The  cultivation  should  be  thorough  and  deep ;  the  roots 
strike  well  downward,  so  there  is  little  danger  of  mutilating 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Leaves  or  Stems          133 

them.  A  liberal  supply  of  asparagus  fertilizer  should  be 
used.  The  first  year  a  few  heads  may  be  produced ; 
and  in  the  second  and  following  years  the  regular  crop 
will  come  in.  Care  must  be  taken  to  remove  all  heads  as 
they  become  fit,  for  to  allow  any  to  go  to  seed  will  de- 
generate the  plant  rapidly.  As  soon  as  all  the  heads  have 
been  taken,  the  stem  should  be  cut  close  to  the  ground. 
These  heads  will  stand  shipping  to  distant  markets  if  the 
crate  is  not  open  enough  to  allow  them  to  wilt. 

Only  a  certain  number  of  the  plants  raised  from  seed  are 
good  artichokes,  consequently  seeds  should  be  used  only 
to  start  the  crop  and  then  the  field  perpetuated  from 
suckers.  All  plants  in  the  patch  that  do  not  produce  good 
artichokes  should  be  destroyed,  and  suckers  taken  only 
from  the  best  plants.  In  removing  suckers  from  the  old 
plants,  care  should  be  taken  that  each  one  has  roots,  else 
they  may  fail  to  grow. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  southern  United  States,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  protect  the  field  with  a  deep  coat  of  mulch 
in  winter;  this  will  also  be  found  to  be  of  advantage  in 
the  southern  part. 


CHAPTER  XII 
VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  BULBS 

THE  plants  herein  discussed  all  belong  to  the  genus 
Allium,  of  the  lily  family.  They  are  the  onion  tribes, 
comprising,  aside  from  onions,  the  leek,  shallot,  chive, 
and  garlic.  They  are  hardy  plants,  withstanding  consid- 
erable frost  although  growing  well  in  subtropical  regions. 
The  seed  is  mostly  slow  to  germinate. 

ONION 

Varieties  of  onion,  especially  the  Bermuda  onion,  are 
grown  in  subtropical  and  tropical  lands  during  the  cool 
season.  The  onion  requires  a  dry  period  to  ripen  its  bulbs, 
and  this  dry  period  comes,  north  of  the  equatorial  belt,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year.  Onions  in  hot  countries  grow 
best  from  acclimated  seed,  the  seed  of  the  famous  Ber- 
muda onion  being  chiefly  grown  in  the  tropical  island  of 
Teneriffe.  In  tropical  India,  large  onions  are  grown  from 
acclimated  seed  around  Calcutta.  In  the  West  India 
islands,  Bermuda  onions  are  grown  to  some  extent ;  and 
there  are  many  acres  of  this  variety  in  Texas  and  Cali- 
fornia. Of  all  the  crops  grown,  there  is  none  that  requires 
more  attention  to  the  preparation  of  the  land  previous  to 
planting  than  does  the  onion. 
134 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  135 

Soil  for  the  onion. 

A  sandy  loam,  with  a  clay  subsoil,  will  give  excellent 
returns,  provided  there  is  an  abundance  of  humus  or 
other  nitrogenous  matter  present.  Humus  may  be 
supplied  by  turning  under  leguminous  crops.  The  roots 
of  the  onion  do  not  enter  the  soil  deeply,  so  they  are  easily 
affected  by  changes  in  the  upper  stratum.  A  rotation 
should  be  practiced  by  changes  in  the  upper  stratum,  or 
the  land  may  become  infested  with  diseases. 

In  selecting  a  plot  of  land,  one  should  be  sure  to  choose 
one  that  does  not  become  soggy  in  wet  weather,  nor  dry 
during  a  drought.  One  should  not  go  into  onion-raising 
on  land  not  adapted  to  the  crop  nor  as  a  temporary  em- 
ployment. Where  it  is  possible  to  have  an  artesian  well 
or  other  constant  supply  of  water,  it  will  be  found  prof- 
itable to  irrigate.  The  land  should  be  we'll  drained, 
putting  the  tile  drains  close  together,  so  as  to  remove 
the  surplus  water  quickly. 

The  land  should  be  plowed  shallow  but  thoroughly, 
leaving  no  particle  unturned.  All  roots  or  sticks  or  other 
debris  should  be  removed  before  plowing,  and  again  after 
plowing;  the  land  should  then  be  harrowed  thoroughly, 
removing  all  sticks  or  straw;  even  the  roots  of  last 
year's  grass  should  be  removed.  After  the  land  has  been 
thus  thoroughly  prepared,  it  should  be  allowed  to  remain 
two  weeks  or  so  before  fertilizing,  when  it  should  be  stirred 
again. 

Fertilizer  for  onions. 

Good  compost  or  well-rotted  barnyard  manure  will  be 
found  excellent  for  fertilizing  onions.  Whatever  kind 


136  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

is  used,  it  must  be  sure  to  contain  no  weed  seeds.  It 
should  be  applied  several  weeks  before  setting  out  the 
onions.  If  both  home-made  and  commercial  fertilizer 
are  to  be  used,  the  former  is  plowed  in,  and  after  the  land 
has  been  well  worked  down,  the  latter  is  spread  broadcast, 
and  mixed  about  two  weeks  before  planting  time  with  the 
soil  by  using  a  cutaway  harrow.  In  using  fertilizer,  "  Put 
on  all  you  think  the  land  can  stand,  then  put  on  as  much 
more,  and  you  will  have  about  half  enough."  The  pro- 
portions should  be :  ammonia,  6  per  cent ;  available  phos- 
phoric acid,  6  per  cent;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  a  ton 
of  the  above  on  land  that  is  considered  fertile  enough  for  an 
ordinary  crop ;  two  tons  may  be  applied  on  land  that  has 
been  cropped  for  several  years.  The  following  table  will 
give  the  amounts  of  fertilizer  material  necessary : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

1600  to  3000  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
700  to  1400  nitrate  of  soda;  or 
Ammonia       .     .     .     100o  to  2000  dried  blood ;  or 

500  to  1000  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .     .     1200  to  2400  acid  phosphate. 

2200  to  4400  kainit ;  or 
p       ,  360  to    720  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

in 350  to    700  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;  or 

700  to  1400  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

Seed. 

The  Bermuda  onion  is  recommended  as  being  the  best 
variety  for  a  crop  in  tropical  and  subtropical  regions.  The 
best  seed  is  grown  in  Teneriffe,  and  this  should  be  used. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  137 

This  is  a  very  important  point  in  the  success  of  onion- 
growing.  There  is  probably  no  other  crop  in  which  so 
much  depends  on  obtaining  a  good  strain  of  seed.  It  is 
not  profitable  to  use  old  seed.  It  deteriorates  quickly, 
especially  in  a  warm  climate,  and  should  usually  be  tested 
before  using. 

Time  to  sow  onion  seed, 

As  in  the  case  of  potatoes,  one  should  watch  the  northern 
markets  and  crops.  If  onions  are  selling  at  a  very  low 
price  in  the  fall,  it  is  clearly  not  wise  to  plant  a  large  crop 
for  early  spring,  but  seeding  time  should  be  delayed  for 
a  month  or  two.  A  good  crop  never  fails  to  bring  a  fair 
return;  it  is  unusual  to  sell  any  portion  of  the  onion 
crop  in  the  southern  United  States  for  less  than  a  dollar  a 
bushel. 

The  seed  may  be  sown  in  the  Gulf  region,  any  time  from 
the  first  of  September  to  the  first  of  January.  The  last 
date  would  bring  the  onions  into  competition  with  the 
crops  raised  in  the  section  just  north,  but  the  price  is 
not  low  enough  usually  to  make  the  crop  cease  to  be 
profitable.  October  is  a  favorite  date,  and  one  that  brings 
the  onions  into  market  after  the  stored  crop  has  been  con- 
sumed. Immediately  after  the  seed  has  been  sown  in 
the  coldframe  or  seed-bed,  the  preparation  of  the  field 
should  be  commenced. 

Seed-bed  for  onions. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  in  seed-beds  or  coldframes,  pre- 
pared with  special  care.  This  will  require  3  to  4  pounds  of 


138  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

seed  for  each  acre  to  be  planted.  These  beds  may  be  pre- 
pared a  month  or  so  beforehand,  and  should  be  worked  over 
frequently  to  get  the  fertilizer  incorporated  into  the  soil. 
They  must  be  constructed  so  that  the  moisture  in  them 
can  be  controlled. 

If  the  seed-bed  is  free  from  weed  seed,  as  it  should  be, 
the  rows  may  be  made  about  3  inches  apart,  and  the  seed 
sown  thick  enough  to  raise  about  3000  plants  to  one  linear 
foot  (6  square  feet)  of  standard  coldframe.  This  will  give 
500  to  750  plants  to  a  row  6  feet  long.  There  is  consider- 
able variation  in  the  number  of  plants  that  can  be  produced 
from  an  ounce  of  seed ;  good  gardeners  are  able  to  produce 
about  5000.  When  the  seed-bed  is  cared  for  properly,  it 
will  give  plants  in  six  weeks  that  are  large  enough  to  be  set 
out.  They  should  be  set  out  before  they  are  as  large  as 
a  thin  lead-pencil. 

Setting  out  onions. 

The  most  expensive  operation  in  the  growing  of  onions 
in  this  way  is  the  setting  out.  This  will  be  found  to  cost  up 
to  $40  an  acre  in  Florida.  Boys  and  girls  will  set  out  2000 
to  3000  a  day,  while  a  good  man  can  set  4000  to  5000; 
and  as  it  takes  160,000  plants  to  an  acre,  it  will  be  seen 
that  it  is  no  small  task.  It  is  claimed  by  persons  who  have 
set  out  several  acres  that  they  can  do  so  at  the  cost  of 
$20  an  acre.  In  Texas  it  costs  $15  to  $25  an  acre.  Per- 
sons who  are  not  familiar  with  onion-growing  will  consider 
that  cost  an  almost  insurmountable  obstacle ;  but  when  it 
is  remembered  that  it  does  away  with  the  early  weeding 
and  hoeing,  the  expense  will  not  be  so  heavy  as  is  first 
supposed.  Twenty  dollars  is  not  sufficient  to  bring  an 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  139 

acre  of  onions  to  four  weeks  old  by  the  old  method,  and 
have  the  field  free  from  weeds. 

After  the  seedlings  have  grown  large  enough  in  the  seed- 
bed to  be  handled  easily,  they  should  be  transplanted  into 
the  field.  The  rows  should  be  marked  off  about  12  inches 
apart,  if  they  are  to  be  worked  by  hand ;  if  by  horse  power, 
the  rows  must  be  from  20  to  24  inches  apart.  A  simple 
rake-like  contrivance  that  has  teeth  at  proper  intervals 
will  serve  the  purpose  of  a  marker.  If  the  marker  is  wide 
enough  to  mark  out  six  or  eight  rows  at  once,  it  will  be 
found  steadier  than  a  small  one.  All  that  is  necessary  is 
to  make  a  mark  for  a  guide,  the  lines  or  marks  need  not  be 
deep  or  broad.  A  revolving  marker  may  be  made  by 
fastening  a  thin  rope  around  a  wooden  roller  and  inserting 
pegs  at  proper  intervals  in  the  circumference ;  it  will  lay 
off  distances  and  be  a  good  guide  in  planting.  If  the  pegs 
have  been  put  so  they  will  make  a  dot  every  12  inches  in 
the  row,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  set  a  plant  on  each 
dot,  and  then  put  three  between.  These  dots  are  especially 
desirable  if  one  has  boys  and  girls  at  work.  In  Texas  a 
sectional  roller  is  used  which  marks  several  rows  at  once, 
and  has  conical  pins  which  form  the  holes  in  which  the 
plants  are  to  be  set. 

For  setting  the  plants,  a  small  flat  dibber  is  used; 
a  home-made  one  will  serve  the  purpose  well.  A  piece  of 
seasoned  hard  wood,  1  inch  square  and  6  inches  long, 
should  be  shaved  down  to  a  flat  point,  and  a  handle  fixed 
across  the  top.  Such  a  tool  can  be  made  easily  and 
quickly,  or  one  may  have  steel  ones  made  by  a  blacksmith ; 
these  will  be  found  better,  but  where  a  good  many  hands 
are  being  worked,  the  expense  will  be  worth  considering. 


140  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

To  set  the  plant,  the  dibber  is  inserted  on  the  line  and 
pressed  away  from  the  planter;  the  plants  are  set  in 
with  the  other  hand ;  the  dibber  is  then  removed,  and  set 
in  the  ground  just  beyond,  and  the  soil  pressed  firmly 
to  the  plant.  This  operation  insures  that  the  soil  will  be 
pressed  firmly  about  the  roots.  The  plants  must  be  set 
perpendicularly,  or  an  ill-shaped  onion  will  result.  When 
one  has  many  hands  at  work,  they  should  be  divided  into 
squads,  each  placed  under  a  careful  foreman,  who  should 
see  that  the  work  is  done  properly  and  keep  the  planters 
supplied  with  sets. 

The  seedlings  may  be  removed  from  the  seed-bed  by 
passing  a  trowel  under  the  row  and  lifting  a  number  of 
them  at  once;  then  separate  them  from  the  soil  and 
trim  off  the  long  roots  and  leaves.  The  leaves  are  in 
the  way  of  later  cultivation,  and  the  roots  bother  in 
planting. 

If  the  young  onion  plants  do  not  start  off  readily,  and 
the  conditions  of  temperature  and  moisture  are  correct,  a 
light  dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda  will  be  found  valuable. 
One  grower  advises  the  use  of  75  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda 
to  the  acre.  An  application  is  made  as  soon  as  the  field 
has  been  set  out ;  and  a  repetition  of  this  is  made  about 
every  ten  days,  until  five  applications  have  been  given. 
If  this  is  done  when  the  plants  are  free  from  dew  and  rain, 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  from  scalding  the  foliage.  It 
should  not  be  carried  on  too  long,  as  it  will  keep  the  onions 
growing  after  they  should  have  ripened ;  this  same  diffi- 
culty will  be  experienced  if  one  uses  a  fertilizer  containing 
an  unusual  amount  of  nitrogen,  or  if  one  uses  a  complete 
fertilizer  on  muckland. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  141 


Cultivation  of  onions. 

"Tillage  is  manure"  is  an  old  and  true  saying,  but  in 
cultivating  onions  one  must  be  careful  that  it  is  done 
properly.  There  are  just  two  points  to  be  kept  in  mind ; 
to  keep  the  weeds  down,  and  to  conserve  the  moisture  in 
the  soil.  The  former  is  well  understood  by  all  gardeners, 
and  needs  but  to  be  mentioned;  the  second,  however,  is 
usually  overlooked ;  many  persons  recognize  the  value  of 
working  land  during  dry  times,  but  do  not  know  why  it 
has  the  desired  effect  on  the  crops.  At  least  an  inch  of 
loose  soil  should  be  kept  on  the  ground  as  a  mulch  during 
dry  times. 

For  hand  cultivation,  the  single-wheel  hoe  is  un- 
doubtedly the  best  machine  now  on  the  market.  What- 
ever tool  is  used,  it  should  not  penetrate  the  ground 
more  than  an  inch,  and  in  no  case  touch  the  bulbs  of 
the  plants. 

If  the  field  is  to  be  cultivated  by  horse  power,  it  will 
require  a  cultivator  made  especially  for  that  purpose ; 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  training  a  horse  or  mule  to  do  the 
work  well,  and  a  great  deal  of  hard  work  can  be  avoided 
by  so  doing.  In  the  onion-growing  sections,  the  land  is 
too  costly  to  permit  the  use  of  a  horse,  and  the  wheel  hoes 
are  used  exclusively. 

The  workers  in  the  field  carry  a  bag  with  them  to  receive 
any  purslane  or  other  weed  that  may  have  been  missed  or 
allowed  to  grow  to  flowering  size.  All  these  large  weeds 
are  carried  to  the  edge  of  the  field  and  thrown  in  heaps  to 
rot.  There  are  very  few  fields  that  are  free  enough  of  weed 
seed  to  grow  a  crop  without  some  hand  weeding;  this 


142  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

should  be  done  with  a  knife,  that  is,  large  weeds  should 
not  be  pulled  when  growing  in  the  row.  For  this  purpose 
there  are  knives  made,  which  may  be  obtained  from  most 
supply  stores,  but  an  old  case-knife  may  be  bent  into  good 
shape  without  costing  as  much.  The  point  is  turned  up  to 
lessen  the  danger  of  hacking  into  the  onion  plants  as  the 
knife  is  being  used.  The  ordinary  garden-hoes  do  not 
work  well  in  the  fields ;  a  worn-out  one  that  has  been  cut 
down  to  half  its  width,  so  as  to  leave  the  corners  acute, 
will  work  fairly  well.  A  sharp  Dutch  or  thrust-hoe  is 
also  useful  for  weeding  onions.  All  tools  should  be  kept  as 
sharp  as  the  steel  will  permit ;  a  dull  hoe  will  soon  use  up 
more  time  than  would  pay  for  a  new  one. 

The  large-scale  method  of  onion-growing. 

The  large-scale  method  of  raising  onions,  where  labor 
is  expensive,  is  to  sow  the  seed  in  the  field  where  the  crop 
is  to  grow.  This  method  is  followed  in  many  onion- 
growing  sections.  The  land  is  prepared  in  the  same  way 
as  for  setting  out.  Sowing  is  best  done  by  a  seed  drill. 
The  drill  is  set  so  it  will  sow  from  12  to  36  seeds  to  the 
linear  foot,  according  to  the  variety  and  the  germinating 
quality  of  the  seed.  The  rows  should  be  made  from 
15  to  20  inches  apart  for  hand  culture,  and  2  to  3  feet  for 
horse  culture.  In  dry  weather,  the  seed  is  very  slow  to 
germinate.  It  has  been  known  to  lie  in  the  ground  for 
six  weeks  without  a  perceptible  change.  To  anticipate 
such  a  condition,  one  should  mix  radish  or  rape  seed  with 
the  onion  seed  in  such  proportion  that  one  of  these  seeds 
will  be  dropped  about  every  foot.  Radish  and  rape  seeds 
spring  up  quickly  and  are  easily  seen.  They  will  mark  the 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  143 

rows,  so  that  cultivation  can  be  carried  on  before  the  onions 
are  up.  If  a  beating  rain  occurs  before  the  onions  are 
showing  or  as  they  are  just  appearing,  it  is  liable  to  smother 
the  young  and  tender  seedlings;  but  by  cultivating  after 
a  heavy  rain,  the  water  draws  off  rapidly  and  does  less 
damage.  Of  course,  this  cannot  be  practiced  on  strong 
clay  soil. 

It  is  only  in  an  exceptional  year  that  onions  can  be 
grown  with  profit  in  this  way  on  weedy  land.  All  weeds 
in  the  middle  should  be  kept  down  by  the  use  of  a  hoe  or  a 
wheel  hoe.  The  weeding,  or  removing  of  weeds  from  the 
row,  is  at  best  a  slow  and  expensive  task;  often  the 
workmen  have  to  get  down  on  their  knees  and  elbows. 
Only  competent  laborers  should  be  employed;  incompe- 
tent ones  are  likely  to  disturb  the  seedlings,  or  simply  pull 
the  tops  off  the  weeds ;  either  of  which  might  go  without 
detection  for  a  week. 

Curing  the  onion  crop. 

When  the  larger  part  of  the  tops  fall,  it  is  a  sign  of  their 
being  ripe.  The  crop  should  be  pulled  and  allowed  to  dry, 
which  will  take  about  a  week  of  dry  weather.  If  a  rain 
occurs,  it  will  be  necessary  to  turn  the  bulbs,  which  can  be 
done  by  using  a  garden  rake  with  dull  teeth ;  but  rain  is 
apt  to  bleach  the  crop  and  so  damage  the  sale.  This  is 
best  prevented  by  taking  the  onions  to  a  curing  shed; 
which  simply  needs  a  roof  to  keep  the  rain  off,  and  possibly 
some  movable  sides  for  rainbreaks,  to  prevent  a  driving 
rain  from  beating  in. 

The  tops  should  not  be  removed  until  they  are  dry,  when 
they  break  easily  and  can  be  stripped  off  without  difficulty. 


144  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

It  is  usually  better  to  push  the  crop  forward  as  early  as 
possible.  The  maturing  may  be  hastened  somewhat 
by  knocking  the  tops  over. 

As  soon  as  the  roots  loosen  their  hold  on  the  ground,  the 
onions  may  be  pulled,  as  there  is  some  danger  of  their 
making  a  second  start  if  the  season  is  rainy.  In  such  a 
case  they  must  be  drawn  out  and  cured  quickly.  In  a 
dry  storing  room,  onions  may  be  kept  for  a  long  tune,  in 
order  to  await  a  favorable  market. 

Crating  onions. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  use  a  fine  material  to  make  onion 
crates ;  the  poorer  quality  left  from  sorting  tomato  crates 
will  be  found  to  bring  as  good  a  price  as  the  finer  ones. 
In  packing,  the  crates  should  be  well  filled  to  prevent  the 
onions  from  being  bruised,  as  they  rot  down  very  quickly. 
All  culls  should  be  removed  from  the  field,  and  composted, 
to  prevent  them  from  drawing  insects  and  growing  fungi. 

Raising  onions  from  sets. 

The  earliest  onions  to  mature  in  the  North  are  those 
raised  from  sets  or  small  bulbs.  The  operation  differs 
from  the  transplanting  of  young  onions  only  in  that  the 
sets  are  in  a  dormant  state  and  are  handled  more  easily. 
The  general  directions  remain  the  same. 

Varieties. 

The  only  onion  mentioned  in  the  previous  pages  is  the 
Bermuda,  but  it  should  not  be  understood  that  this  is  the 
only  one  worthy  of  trial.  It  grows  to  a  very  large  size 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  145 

and  develops  early.  Its  mild  flavor  and  clear  white  color 
make  it  a  favorite  on  the  table.  The  seed  is  high  priced, 
and  much  spurious  material  is  on  the  market  every  year ; 
therefore,  one  should  buy  only  of  reliable  seedsmen.  It 
should  not  be  understood  that  all  true  Bermudas  are 
white,  as  there  is  also  a  red  kind  on  the  market.  The 
Bermudas  have  given  the  best  results  in  Florida.  When 
the  seed  is  sown  late  in  the  fall  in  northern  climates,  the 
tops  die  down  while  the  bulbs  are  still  small.  In  this 
way  sets  are  obtained.  These  sets  may  be  used  in  place 
of  seed,  but  will  be  found  much  more  expensive,  and  will 
probably  not  pay,  except  for  home  use. 

The  varieties  recommended  for  subtropical  culture  are : 
White  Bermuda,  Crystal  Wax,  and  Red  Bermuda. 

Yellow  Danvers  is  an  excellent  variety  which  grows  well 
from  seed ;  of  good  quality  and  a  fair  shipper.  The  bulb 
is  nearly  round  and  of  a  brownish  yellow  color. 

White  Portugal  is  the  leading  white  variety,  and  on 
account  of  its  color,  flavor,  and  shape,  it  usually  commands 
a  good  price.  It  is  not  a  good  keeper;  it  will  stand 
marketing,  however. 

Giant  Rocca  is  an  Italian  onion  which  grows  well  in  the 
southern  United  States.  Red  Creole  (Plate  VII)  has  been 
long  grown  in  Louisiana,  and  is  well  suited  to  the  cool  season 
of  subtropical  countries.  The  Top  or  Tree  onion  bears 
bulbils  in  place  of  the  seed.  These  bulbils  are  planted  to 
produce  young  onions  for  bunching.  White  Multiplier 
is  used  largely  for  pickling.  It  is  highly  prized,  because 
of  its  white  color  and  small,  plump  bulbs.  It  is  reproduced 
by  small  offsets  or  bulbs  forming  at  the  base  of  the  one 
planted.  (See  Plate  VII.) 


146  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Costs  in  onion-growing. 

The  Bermuda  onion  is  a  staple  vegetable,  and  hence 
never  brings  a  fancy  price,  but  southern  vegetable-growing 
will  not  be  on  a  settled  foundation  until  those  engaged  in  it 
are  prepared  to  produce  crops  on  narrow  margins  that  will 
compete  with  other  sections  that  are  near  the  market. 
This  crop  brings  on  an  average  eighty  cents  in  the  field 
for  a  bushel  crate.  If  one  can  be  certain  of  a  profit  of 
ten  cents  a  crate,  the  investment  will  be  a  profitable  one. 
The  expense  of  raising  an  acre  of  Bermuda  onions  is  about 
as  follows  in  Texas : 

Clearing,  plowing,  and  fertilizing       $70 

Seed 9 

Transplanting 20 

Irrigation            15 

Cultivating  and  weeding 16 

•    Harvesting .  20 

Interest  on  investment 20 

$170 

An  acre  should  raise  from  200  to  300  bushels.  If,  then, 
one  is  certain  of  eighty  cents  a  bushel,  one  will  have  a  net 
profit  of  $70.  This  is  40  per  cent  on  the  money  invested. 

In  Florida  the  labor  is  probably  more  expensive  than 
in  Texas. 

Bulletins. 

Onions  and  Bunch  Crops,  Tex.  Bulletin  77,  1904. 
Fertilizer  Tests  with  Onions,  Tex.  Bulletin  115,  1908. 
Onion  Culture,  Farmers'  Bulletin  354,  1909. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  147 


LEEK 

The  leek  is  very  tolerant  of  differences  of  temperature. 
Like  some  other  biennials,  it  is  fitted  to  endure  both  the 
heat  of  summer  and  the  cold  of  winter.  Hence  it  may  be 
grown  with  success  as  far  north  as  Scotland  and  as  far 
south  as  the  outer  tropics.  When  large  and  blanched  it 
retains  but  little  of  the  strong  onion  flavor,  and  has  even 
attained  the  position  of  a  national  vegetable  in  Wales. 
The  leek  is  not  so  popular  as  the  onion,  because  it  cannot 
be  stored  like  onion  bulbs,  but  for  a  vegetable-garden  in 
temperate  regions  during  the  summer,  or  in  subtropical 
and  tropical  countries  during  the  cool  season  it  is  well 
worth  growing.  The  allyl  sulfide  found  in  the  onion  and 
leek  is  a  nerve  stimulant.  Leeks  are  cooked  in  the  same 
way  as  onions,  and  the  leaves  are  often  stewed  along  with 
the  blanched  lower  part  of  the  plant.  Leeks  have  been 
grown  well  in  Florida,  the  West  Indies,  and  India. 

Leek  has  not  been  grown  in  the  southern  United  States 
for  distant  markets,  though  it  stands  shipping  well.  There 
has  not  been  a  demand  for  it  excepting  at  the  season  when 
the  northern  markets  supplied  it.  If  it  is  known  that  a 
certain  vegetable  is  not  in  the  market,  persons  will  not 
demand  it,  but  as  soon  as  it  is  available,  there  will  be  a 
market  for  it. 

During  September,  or  early  in  October,  a  bed  should  be 
prepared  to  receive  the  seed.  Care  should  be  exercised 
not  to  allow  the  soil  to  become  dry,  as  the  seed  may  fail 
under  such  treatment.  The  weeds  should  be  kept  down 
and  if  the  days  become  unusually  warm,  the  seedlings 
shaded.  When  the  plants  are  about  6  inches  high,  they 


148  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

should  be  taken  up  carefully  and  transplanted  to  the  field. 
In  taking  up  leeks,  it  is  a  good  practice  to  run  a  spade 
under  the  row  and  lift  the  plants ;  then,  as  the  soil  separates, 
they  will  be  removed  without  injury.  If  the  leaves  happen 
to  be  long,  cut  them  back  a  third. 

The  soil  should  be  a  strong  loam ;  if  a  clayey  loam,  it 
must  have  good  drainage.  The  land  should  be  fertilized 
heavily,  and  plowed  thoroughly,  but  not  deeply.  Before 
plowing,  all  rubbish  should  have  been  removed  from 
the  ground.  The  soil  should  be  pulverized  well,  and  the 
rows  laid  off  18  inches  or  2  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  set 
6  inches  or  a  foot  apart  in  the  row. 

The  fertilizer  material  prepared  for  onions  will  also  be 
good  for  this  crop.  Leeks  can  stand  more  nitrogenous 
matter  and  grow  more  slowly,  hence  it  is  advisable  to  use 
more  nitrogen  and  to  use  it  in  a  form  that  will  not  dissipate 
readily ;  such  materials  as  barnyard  manure  and  compost 
are  better  than  the  commercial  forms.  If  commercial 
fertilizers  are  relied  upon,  it  will  be  better  to  make  several 
applications. 

Transplanting  may  be  done  during  any  moist  time; 
usually  watering  is  not  necessary;  in  other  respects,  the 
manipulation  of  transplanting  is  like  that  of  onions.  The 
plants  are  set  3  to  6  inches  deep.  They  may  be  blanched 
by  earthing  up  or  boarding. 

In  preparing  for  market,  the  plants  are  dug  and  the 
outer  dry  leaves  peeled  off.  If  the  shipment  is  for  a  near 
market,  the  plants  may  be  washed ;  but  if  they  will  be  four 
or  five  days  in  transit,  it  is  not  advisable  to  use  water 
at  all.  They  are  tied  in  bunches  of  six  or  eight  and  packed 
in  crates. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Bulbs  149 

The  variety  known  as  Large  Flag  has  a  strong  lead. 
Mussellburgh,  Carantan  and  Rouen  are  other  good  varie- 
ties. 

The  seed  of  leeks  may  be  collected  in  the  same  way  as 
that  of  onions. 

SHALLOT 

Shallot  is  a  close  relative  of  the  onion.  It  is  but  little 
grown  in  the  United  States.  The  bulbs  are  like  mild 
onions,  and  are  used  like  onions  for  flavoring  and  for  pick- 
ling. The  shallot  is  not  grown  from  seeds,  but  from  young 
bulbs  which  arise  as  in  the  multiplier  onion.  It  grows 
well  in  subtropical  countries,  and  in  the  cool  season  of  the 
tropics,  and  is  worth  growing  where  good  onions  cannot 
be  raised.  The  bulbs  may  be  obtained  from  European 
seedsmen.  The  culture  is  the  same  as  for  onion  sets. 


CHIVE 

The  chive  is  a  native  of  the  northern  hemisphere, 
closely  related  to  the  onion,  and  is  grown  mainly  for  its 
leaves.  They  are  milder  and  more  tender  than  those  of 
the  onion,  and  are  used  for  salads  and  for  seasoning  soups. 
It  may  be  multiplied  by  division,  from  thebulblets,  or  from 
seed.  Chive  is  not  cultivated  to  the  extent  of  making  a 
crop,  but  it  is  frequently  sold  in  northern  markets  as  an 
early  spring  vegetable.  It  may  be  grown  in  tropical 
gardens,  where  it  is  a  useful  ingredient  of  salads.  The 
rows  are  made  about  18  inches  apart  and  the  plants  set 
about  2  inches  apart  in  the  row.  The  leaves  grow  again 
after  being  cut  to  the  ground. 


150  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


GARLIC 

This  strong  smelling  bulb  is  a  close  relative  of  the  onion, 
but  has  flat  leaves  like  the  leek.  It  is  used  in  cookery  by 
some  of  the  Mediterranean  people,  by  the  natives  of  India 
and  of  other  warm  countries.  It  is  probable  that  it  is 
used  for  the  stimulating  effect  of  the  allyl  sulfide,  but  most 
persons  are  averse  to  the  use  of  such  highly-odored  food. 
Garlic  was  once  employed  as  a  medicine.  The  crop  is 
grown  from  the  bulblets  which  form  around  the  main 
bulb.  These  can  be  planted  out  at  the  beginning  of  the 
cool  season  about  2  inches  deep  and  7  to  9  inches  apart. 
When  ripe,  the  bulbs  are  dried  and  stored  like  onions. 
In  some  tropical  American  countries,  the  bulbs  are  sold 
in  strands  made  by  braiding  the  partially  dried  leaves 
with  the  bulbs  attached. 


PLATE  VIII.  — MELONS. 
Top,  Rocky  Ford  muskmelon ;  bottom,  field  marked  off  for  muskmelons. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

VEGETABLES    WITH    EDIBLE    FRUITS— THE 
CUCURBITS 

A  FRUIT  is  a  direct  product  of  a  flower.  Many  of  the 
crops  that  we  class  as  vegetables  are  really  fruits.  Of  such 
are  those  discussed  in  this  chapter,  which  are  frequently 
called  cucurbits  because  they  belong  to  the  Cucurbitaceae 
or  squash  family.  These  are  the  muskmelon  and  cu- 
cumber, belonging  to  the  genus  Cucumis ;  the  watermelon, 
of  the  genus  Citrullus;  the  squash  and  pumpkin,  of  the 
genus  Cucurbita ;  and  the  chayote,  belonging  to  the  genus 
Sechium.  They  are  all  warm-country  plants,  and  will  not 
withstand  frost.  The  seeds  are  large  and  flat  and  ger- 
minate quickly. 

CANTALOUPE 

The  muskmelon,  usually  called  cantaloupe  in  the  south- 
ern United  States,  is  grown  in  most  subtropical  countries, 
and  acclimated  varieties  are  cultivated  in  the  East  and 
West  Indies,  and  in  other  tropical  lands.  The  melon 
succeeds  very  well  in  dry  climates  with  irrigation.  The 
cultivated  melons  came  from  South  Asia,  but  many 
varieties  have  originated  in  the  United  States,  where  the 
muskmelon  is  now  a  staple  crop  from  Florida  to  Illinois 
and  Colorado. 

151 


152  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Soil  and  preparation. 

The  soil  used  for  ordinary  gardening  will  be  found  well 
adapted  to  this  crop.  While  muskmelons  grow  well  in  a 
stiff  clay  soil,  they  are  later  in  maturing  than  in  warm 
loam. 

The  ordinary  preparation  will  give  good  results.  The 
land  should  be  plowed  shallow,  but  all  turned.  If  it  is 
a  light,  sandy  loam,  four  furrows  turned  together  will 
make  a  sufficient  bed  to  plant  on. 

Fertilizer. 

The  proportions  of  fertilizer  ingredients  for  cantaloupes 
should  be  as  follows:  ammonia,  3^  per  cent;  available 
phosphoric  acid,  8  per  cent;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use 
1000  to  1500  pounds  of  the  above  formula  to  an  acre. 
If  the  soil  is  poor  in  nitrogenous  matter,  the  ammonia 
should  be  increased  to  5  per  cent. 

The  following  table  gives  the  amounts  of  different 
fertilizers  that  may  be  used  to  obtain  as  much  of  each  ele- 
ment as  the  formula  calls  for : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 


Ammonia 


500  to  750  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
300  to  450  dried  blood;  or 
225  to  350  nitrate  of  soda;  or 
200  to  300  sulfate  of  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid    .     .      800  to  1200  acid  phosphate. 
1000  to  ISOOkainit;  or 


Potash 


160  to    225  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

160  to    225  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 

300  to    450  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  153 

Planting  and  cultivating  muskmelons. 

Muskmelons  may  be  treated  like  cucumbers,  and 
planted  in  paper  pots,  or  veneer  baskets,  and  then  set 
out  in  the  field ;  or  the  seed  may  be  planted  in  the  field. 
The  rows  are  made  6  feet  apart  (Plate  VIII),  and  the  hills 
put  from  3  to  6  feet  apart  in  the  row,  according  to  the 
variety.  If  the  land  is  rich,  or  a  liberal  amount  of  fertilizer 
has  been  used,  the  plants  may  be  allowed  to  grow  as  close 
as  a  foot  in  the  row.  From  four  to  eight  seeds  are 
dropped  where  a  plant  is  desired,  and  when  the  vines  be- 
gin to  run  they  should  be  thinned  out  to  one  or  two  in  a 
hill. 

The  cultivation  must  be  shallow,  but  kept  up  constantly, 
and  the  weeds  kept  down. 

Marketing  muskmelons. 

The  smaller  kinds  are  ready  to  pick  when  the  stalk 
begins  to  crack.  If  picked  too  green,  they  never  ripen. 
Rocky  Ford  melons  are  usually  packed  in  standard  crates 
20  by  12  by  12  inches,  holding  45  melons,  and  shipped 
by  a  refrigerator  car.  They  may  be  graded  according  to 
the  degree  of  netting,  which  has  been  found  to  correspond 
with  the  quality  of  the  fruit. 

Saving  melon  seed. 

No  difficulty  will  arise  from  planting  muskmelons  and 
watermelons  in  the  same  field.  There  is  no  danger  of 
hybridizing  these  two  species,  but  seed  should  not  be 
saved  where  different  varieties  of  muskmelons  have  been 
planted  in  the  same  field. 


154  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  seed  is  saved  in  the  same  way  as  directed  for  cucum- 
bers. It  has  been  claimed  that  muskmelon  seed  saved  in 
the  South  for  several  seasons  is  superior  in  more  than  one 
way  to  northern-grown  seed. 

The  seed  may  be  kept  for  several  years  under  proper 
conditions  without  losing  its  vitality. 

Enemies. 

The  rust  of  muskmelons  which  injures  the  quality  of 
the  fruit  can  be  obviated  by  proper  selection  of  varieties, 
and  by  rotation.  It  is  readily  prevented  by  spraying 
with  fungicide. 

The  insect  enemies  are  much  the  same  as  those  of  the 
cucumber. 

Varieties  of  melons. 

The  Rocky  Ford  (Plate  VIII)  strain  of  Netted  Gem, 
which  is  extensively  grown  in  Colorado,  is  the  staple  variety 
in  the  northern  markets.  A  rust-resisting  race  of  this  has 
been  developed.  Other  shipping  varieties  are  Osage, 
Hackensack,  and  Montreal  Market.  New  Orleans  Mar- 
ket and  Augusta  Market  are  varieties  much  grown  in 
the  South  for  local  use. 

Bulletins. 

The  Rocky  Ford  Cantaloupe  Industry,  Colo.  Bulletin  108,  1906. 
Melon  Culture,  N.  Mex.  Bulletin  63,  1907. 
Cantaloupe  Breeding,  Colo.  Bulletin  126,  1908 
Commercial  Melon-Growing,  Ind.  Bulletin  123,  1908. 
Marketing  the  Muskmelon,  111.  Bulletin  124,  1908. 
Growing  Better  Gems,  Ind.  Bulletin  135,  1909. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  155 


WATERMELON 

The  watermelon  is  a  tropical  plant,  and  grows  well  in 
tropical  and  even  equatorial  lands.  They  are  grown  in 
the  southern  United  States  to  a  greater  extent  than  any- 
where else  in  the  world,  and  the  best  varieties  have 
originated  there. 

Soil. 

Watermelons  will  flourish  and  make  an  excellent  crop 
on  warm  sandy  soils.  Heavy  or  soggy  land  should  not 
be  chosen,  nor  will  thirsty  soil  produce  a  good  crop; 
however,  this  plant  has  a  wider  range  of  soil  than  any 
other  raised  for  market  in  the  South.  The  profits  an  acre 
from  raising  watermelons  are  usually  so  small  that  from 
inferior  soil  they  are  practically  nothing.  Also,  the  early 
shipments,  as  a  rule,  bring  good  returns,  while  the  later 
ones  are  liable  to  go  at  a  loss. 

The  plowing  should  be  shallow  but  thorough.  While 
the  roots  do  not  penetrate  deeply,  they  grow  out  for  a  long 
distance  from  the  hill,  and  in  no  case  should  the  fertilizer 
be  so  deeply  placed  as  to  coax  the  roots  to  an  unnatural 
stratum. 

Fertilizer  for  watermelons. 

For  watermelons,  the  fertilizer  proportion  should  be 
as  follows :  ammonia,  83  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  8  per  cent;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  from  800  to 
1200  pounds  of  this  formula  to  the  acre.  If  the  soil  is 
rich  with  nitrogenous  matter,  ammonia  may  be  omitted 
altogether.  Too  much  nitrogen  makes  overgrown  melons, 


156  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

poor  shippers,  and  an  insipid  product.  From  the  fore- 
going, it  should  not  be  considered  that  fertilizer  can  pro- 
duce a  fine  crop  from  a  poor  variety,  but  by  properly 
balancing  the  fertilizer  a  fine  crop  can  often  be  raised 
when  otherwise  it  would  fail. 

The  following  table  gives  approximate  fertilizer  for- 
mulae: 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

[  400  to  600  cottonseed  meal ;  or 

A  .  250  to  350  dried  blood;  or 

'    175  to  250  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 

1 150  to  200  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .     .    650  to    900  acid  phosphate. 

800  to  1200kainit;  or 
p       ,  125  to     200  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

'     125  to     200  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 
,  250  to    300  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

Planting  watermelons. 

The  land  should  be  laid  off  in  checks  about  6  by  6  feet 
and  the  fertilizer  put  in  the  hill.  One  should  not  deceive 
himself  into  the  belief  that  it  is  sufficient  to  run  a  plow 
through  the  hill  once  or  twice  to  mix  the  fertilizer  with  the 
soil.  The  melon-grower  who  uses  commercial  fertilizer 
must,  sooner  or  later,  learn  that  to  mix  the  fertilizer 
thoroughly  with  the  soil  means  about  three  times  as  much 
work  as  most  growers  usually  put  into  it.  The  fertilizer 
should  be  scattered  in  a  circle  about  three  feet  in  diameter 
about  the  place  where  the  hill  is  to  stand,  and  applied 
a  week  or  ten  days  before  planting.  Some  successful 
growers  now  work  the  fertilizer  in  the  furrow,  and  then 
turn  up  beds  instead  of  hilling. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  157 

A  crop  may  be  brought  in  early  by  using  paper  flower- 
pots and  potting  soil  as  described  for  cucumbers,  but  the 
pots  should  be  a  size  larger  than  for  cucumbers. 

When  seeds  are  sown  in  the  field,  they  may  be  sown  in  a 
shorter  time  after  fertilizing  than  when  plants  are  set  out. 
Six  to  twelve  seeds  are  dropped  in  a  hill.  Insects  and 
vermin  will  destroy  so  many  that  but  few  will  have  to  be 
thinned  out.  Thinning  to  one  plant  is  claimed  to  give 
larger  melons.  If  cottonseed  meal  has  been  used  as  a 
source  of  nitrogen  —  and  this  is  advisable  —  a  teaspoonful 
of  nitrate  of  soda  may  be  scattered  in  the  hill  just  after 
the  seedlings  have  appeared  above  the  ground,  or  when 
the  plants  are  set  out.  This  will  stimulate  the  plants  to 
a  rapid  growth,  and  get  them  out  of  the  way  of  insects. 

Cultivating. 

All  cultivation  of  watermelons  should  be  shallow,  merely 
to  keep  the  surface  mellow  and  free  from  weeds.  As  soon 
as  practicable  after  heavy  rains,  the  field  should  be  culti- 
vated ;  and  when  no  rains  occur,  it  should  be  cultivated 
every  week  or  ten  days,  depending  upon  the  kind  of  land. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  till  all  the  middles  while  the  plants  are 
small,  though  weeds  should  not  be  allowed  to  go  to  seed ; 
but  if  the  weather  is  dry,  the  middles  must  be  worked  to 
conserve  the  moisture  in  the  soil,  and  all  weeds  kept  down, 
as  each  one  of  these  is  a  leak  to  so  much  soil  moisture. 
The  horse  weeder  will  be  very  useful  at  this  time.  As 
the  plants  grow  larger,  the  cultivation  has  to  be  pushed 
farther  to  the  middles  until  finally  the  plants  meet  across 
the  rows,  when  tillage  must  be  discontinued.  If  tall 
weeds  grow  in  the  field  after  this,  they  should  be  cut  off, 


158  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

not  pulled,  as  the  vines  are  fastened  to  these  by  their 
tendrils  and  must  not  be  disturbed.  Cowpeas  may  be 
sown  broadcast  at  the  last  cultivation  so  as  to  fix  the  vines 
against  wind. 

Marketing  watermelons. 

Marketing  is  a  simple  operation,  and  yet  many  fail  from 
various  causes.  Experience  alone  can  guide  one  as  to  how 
ripe  the  crop  must  be  to  reach  the  market  in  time.  In 
loading  the  car,  care  must  be  exercised  to  have  all  the  prod- 
uct of  uniform  size  and  ripeness.  The  melons  are  then 
placed  regularly  and  carefully,  the  long  diameter  being 
placed  lengthwise  of  the  car. 

Saving  seed. 

Only  the  finest  watermelon  specimens,  and  those  on 
vines  free  from  disease,  should  be  selected  for  seed. 
Melons  intended  for  seed  may  be  marked  by  scratching 
the  rind ;  and  as  soon  as  the  marked  fruit  is  full  grown, 
the  other  melons  on  those  vines  should  be  removed,  so  as 
to  throw  as  much  vitality  into  the  seeds  as  possible.  The 
melons  should  be  allowed  to  become  completely  ripe,  and 
then  removed  to  the  packing  house.  They  are  cut  in 
two  lengthwise  and  the  flesh  and  seeds  removed.  The 
flesh  is  dropped  into  a  tub,  and  mashed  well  without  in- 
juring the  seeds,  and  placed  in  a  warm  spot.  The  pulp 
is  turned  into  a  barrel.  In  about  forty-eight  hours 
the  material  will  have  fermented  enough  to  macerate 
the  flesh ;  the  seeds  may  then  be  removed,  by  washing  in 
a  No.  2  sieve.  The  seeds  must  not  be  allowed  to  remain 
in  the  barrel  longer  than  about  sixty  hours,  as  the  heat 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  159 

generated  is  liable  to  make  them  sprout.  As  soon  as  the 
seeds  are  washed  they  should  be  drained  and  dried  quickly 
without  any  heat.  Melon  seeds  have  been  kept  for  twelve 
years  without  losing  vitality. 

Diseases  and  insects. 

The  watermelon  is  subject  to  practically  the  same  pests 
as  the  cucumber  and  the  muskmelon.  The  profit  an  acre 
on  a  crop  of  watermelons  is  so  small,  however,  that  the 
ordinary  methods  of  combating  insects  and  diseases  are 
unprofitable.  On  this  account  the  grower  rarely  plants 
a  crop  of  watermelons  on  the  same  land  in  successive 
years.  The  aphis  may  be  successfully  combated  by 
using  finely  ground  tobacco  dust.  The  campaign  must 
be  begun  immediately  on  discovery  of  the  aphis,  and  it 
is  best  to  destroy  the  hills  in  which  the  first  attack  is 
discovered. 

Varieties  of  watermelon. 

In  choosing  a  variety  to  raise,  one  should  be  sure  that 
the  meat  is  solid  and  the  rind  hard  and  strong,  if  wanted 
for  a  distant  market.  The  following  varieties  will  be 
found  good :  Tom  Watson,  Kolb  Gem,  Florida  Favorite, 
Augusta  Rattlesnake,  Lord  Bacon,  and  Duke  Jones. 

For  home  use  and  local  markets,  much  will  depend  on 
the  local  demands:  usually,  these  want  a  small,  or 
medium-sized  melon,  very  sweet,  with  thin  rind  and  red- 
fleshed.  The  following  varieties  will  be  found  to  be 
useful :  Seminole,  Ice  Cream,  and  Mountain  Sweet. 
If  the  last-mentioned  is  desired,  be  sure  that  seed  from  a 
good  strain  is  obtained. 


160  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Bulletins  and  papers. 

Watermelons,  Ga.  Bulletin  38,  1897. 
Growing  Watermelons,  N.  H.  Bulletin  86,  1901. 
Watermelon  Culture  in  Georgia,  Cyclopedia  of  American  Horti- 
culture, 1904. 
Melon  Culture,  N.  Mex.  Bulletin  63,  March,  1907. 

CUCUMBER 

Local  kinds  of  cucumbers  are  grown  in  India  and  the 
West  Indies.  The  varieties  from  temperate  regions  often 
suffer  greatly  from  the  attacks  of  beetles,  but  can  be 
grown,  with  care,  in  the  cool  season,  or  on  the  mountains. 

The  cucumber  has  become  one  of  the  leading  vegetables 
for  the  Lower  South.  It  stands  shipping  to  distant 
markets  remarkably  well.  Where  killing  frosts  occur,  the 
seedlings  should  be  started  in  a  coldframe  or  in  a  hotbed. 
For  every  acre  to  be  planted,  1200  2-inch  paper  flower- 
pots should  be  procured;  the  same  number  of  4-inch, 
and  if  very  early  cucumbers  are  wanted,  the  same  num- 
ber of  6-inch  pots.  Only  the  best  seed  should  be 
used  and  four  planted  in  each  pot.  These  pots  should 
be  filled  with  good  potting  soil  to  within  a  half-inch  of 
the  top ;  this  should  be  done  six  weeks  earlier  than  the  last 
frost  usually  occurs,  if  it  is  intended  to  use  only  the  two 
smaller  sizes  of  pots,  but  about  nine  weeks,  if  the  three 
sizes  are  to  be  used.  The  cost  of  the  pots  in  the  former 
case  will  be  less  than  $9 ;  in  the  latter,  about  $25.  There  is 
is  no  doubt  that  one  could  obtain  a  liberal  discount  on 
these  pots  if  a  large  quantity  were  bought  at  one  time.  If 
the  pots  are  not  sunk  into  the  sand,  they  will  last  for 
two  crops.  During  their  growth,  the  plants  should  be 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  161 

examined  frequently  to  see  that  they  do  not  become  pot- 
bound.  They  should  be  shifted  to  a  larger  pot  as  soon  as 
the  soil  is  permeated  by  the  roots.  This  may  be  tested 
by  removing  the  soil  from  one  of  the  pots,  which  may  be 
done  easily  as  follows :  Hold  a  pot  upside  down  and  press 
on  the  bottom ;  the  soil  will  come  out  and  the  condition 
of  the  roots  can  be  examined  without  difficulty.  As  soon 
as  the  roots  have  taken  up  most  of  the  space  in  the  pot, 
the  plant  should  be  shifted  to  a  larger  one. 

The  seeds  may  also  be  sown  at  once  in  4-inch  pots,  or  in 
strawberry  baskets,  and  set  out  from  these  in  the  field. 
In  Louisiana  the  early  plants  are  often  protected  by  single 
panes  of  glass.  Soaking  the  seeds  twenty-four  hours 
before  sowing  causes  quicker  germination. 

If  the  plants  show  any  signs  of  yellowing,  they  may  be 
restored  to  health  by  a  light  application  of  liquid  manure. 
They  should  not  be  transferred  to  the  field  until  two  weeks 
after  danger  of  frost  is  past ;  and  if  the  spring  is  cold  and 
backward,  it  is  better  to  keep  the  plants  under  the  pro- 
tecting cloth.  Some  vegetable-raisers  may  object  to  this 
method  as  being  expensive.  However,  it  does  away  with 
the  first  two  plowings,  and  the  plants  are  further  advanced, 
and  so  less  subject  to  insect  and  fungus  attacks.  The 
striped  cucumber  beetle  and  aphis  rarely  get  a  start  on 
pot-grown  plants.  The  amount  of  seed  required  will  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum.  The  most  important  considera- 
tion, however,  is  that  the  first  pickings  will  be  two  weeks 
or  a  month  earlier  than  they  would  have  been  had  the  seed 
been  planted  in  the  field. 

Another  very  successful  method,  and  one  that  is  em- 
ployed a  great  deal,  but  is  somewhat  more  crude,  is  to 


162  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

prepare  a  coldframe  with  fibrous  soil  and  to  transplant 
the  seedlings  from  this.  When  the  plants  have  arrived 
at  the  proper  stage  for  setting  out,  they  may  be  success- 
fully removed  from  the  coldframe  in  the  following  manner : 
Prepare  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  two-pound  tomato  or 
vegetable  cans  by  throwing  them  in  a  fire  to  remove  the 
top  and  bottom  and  also  to  unsolder  the  side.  When  one 
is  ready  to  begin  the  operation  of  transplanting,  this 
cylinder  of  tin  is  pressed  firmly  into  the  soil  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  leave  the  cucumber  plant  in  the  center. 
If  the  soil  is  fibrous  and  moist,  the  plant  can  now  be  readily 
lifted  from  the  seed-bed  in  the  cylinder  of  tin  and  trans- 
ferred to  the  field  with  only  slight  injury.  If  the  soil  is 
not  sufficiently  fibrous  to  be  held  in  the  cylinder  readily, 
a  trowel  may  be  inserted  under  it  and  thus  aid  in  trans- 
ferring the  plant.  Several  boards  large  enough  to  hold 
from  a  dozen  to  two  dozen  such  cylinders  may  be  used  to 
good  advantage.  A  board  should  be  placed  so  that  the 
cylinder  holding  a  plant  can  be  slipped  on  to  it  readily. 
When  the  board  contains  a  convenient  number  of  plants, 
it  may  be  removed  to  a  cart.  In  the  field  the  cylinders 
containing  the  plants  are  set  out  in  the  proper  places,  the 
soil  firmed  around  them,  and  the  cylinders  drawn  out; 
then  the  watering  and  further  firming  of  the  soil  completes 
the  operation. 

Protecting  cucumbers  from  frosts. 

In  some  parts  of  the  South,  large  areas,  sometimes  ten 
acres  in  extent,  are  put  under  canvas  for  growing  lettuce 
during  the  colder  part  of  the  year.  When  the  warmer 
season  approaches,  the  canvas  is  no  longer  needed  for 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  163 

protecting  the  lettuce.  As  soon  as  the  crop  of  lettuce 
matures,  cucumber  seeds  are  planted  at  proper  intervals 
in  these  beds.  When  light  frosts  occur  in  the  late  spring, 
the  canvas  can  be  readily  spread  to  protect  the  cucumbers 
from  frosts  that  would  not  injure  lettuce.  In  this  way  the 
beds  may  be  made  to  serve  the  double  purpose  of  growing 
crops  of  lettuce  during  the  colder  part  of  the  year,  and 
when  the  warmer  weather  approaches,  large  yields  of 
cucumbers  will  mature  early  in  such  beds.  (See  Plate  V.) 
Another  way  of  protecting  cucumbers  against  late 
frosts  is  illustrated  in  Plate  I.  In  this  V-shaped  troughs 
are  made,  the  primary  object  of  these  being  to  distribute 
water  to  the  cucumber  field.  The  sluice  way  and  V-shaped 
troughs  are  illustrated  in  Plate  I,  the  sluice  way  to  the  right 
carrying  an  abundance  of  water,  the  V-shaped  troughs 
lying  beside  the  young  cucumber  plants.  When  a  frost 
may  be  expected,  it  is  easy  to  overturn  the  V-shaped 
troughs  on  to  the  young  cucumber  plants  and  thus  cause 
them  to  escape  from  a  destructive  cold  spell. 

Soil  and  preparation  of  the  cucumber  field. 

A  light  sandy  loam  on  a  southern  slope  will  be  found 
admirable  for  cucumbers.  The  low  flat  lands  or  bottoms 
should  be  avoided.  If  a  warm  sandy  loam  is  not  accessible, 
an  upland  clay  may  be  used ;  this  will  raise  as  large  a  crop 
as  a  sandy  loam,  or  larger,  but  will  not  be  quite  so  early. 
The  field  should  be  plowed  to  a  medium  depth,  turning  it 
over  well.  While  the  cucumber  is  partial  to  the  finer 
grades  of  fertilizer,  it  will  thrive  on  coarser  material  than 
many  other  plants.  Any  form  of  decaying  organic 
material  may  be  utilized  to  advantage.  The  field  is  laid 


164  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

off  in  rows  6  feet  apart,  and  the  hills  from  4  to  6  feet 
apart  in  the  row.  Two  weeks  before  the  field  is  to  be 
planted,  the  rows  and  checks  are  laid  off,  and  the  amount 
of  fertilizer  desired  is  dropped  and  worked  in  the  hills. 
If  commercial  or  other  concentrated  fertilizer  is  to  be  used, 
it  must  be  worked  in  thoroughly.  The  crop  rarely  suffers 
from  over-fertilizing  in  the  field,  but  frequently  is  ruined 
by  improper  fertilization. 

Two  weeks  after  fertilizing  a  field,  it  is  usually  safe  to 
plant  the  seed  or  set  out  plants.  If  the  seed  is  planted, 
about  half  a  dozen  should  be  dropped  in  a  hill.  When  the 
plants  begin  to  run,  the  hill  should  be  reduced  to  two  to 
four  plants.  Some  of  the  missing  hills  may  be  supplied 
by  lifting  a  part  of  a  full  hill  on  a  hoe  and  setting  it 
in  place.  If  plants  are  set  out,  the  pots  are  removed  and 
the  ball  of  earth  set  an  inch  below  the  surf  ace  of  the  ground. 

Fertilizer  for  cucumbers. 

The  first  application  of  fertilizer  should  be  made  about 
two  weeks  before  the  seed  is  sown  or  plants  set  out.  Five 
hundred  pounds  of  the  following  formula  may  be  used  on 
ordinary  sandy  loam :  ammonia,  6  per  cent ;  available 
phosphoric  acid,  4  per  cent ;  potash,  5  per  cent. 

It  will  be  found  advisable  to  employ  a  chemical  in  which 
the  nitrogen  is  quickly  available  to  supply  one  half  of  the 
ammonia.  The  following  combination  is  largely  used  by 
the  commercial  cucumber-growers  in  Florida : 

100  pounds  nitrate  of  soda, 
100  pounds  dried  blood,  17  per  cent  ammonia, 
150  pounds  acid  phosphate,  14  per  cent  available, 
50  pounds  muriate  of  potash. 


Vegetables  with  Edibk  Fruits  165 

As  soon  as  the  vines  are  beginning  to  produce  the  fruiting 
bloom  and  to  produce  runners,  a  second  application  of 
the  following  formula  is  made :  ammonia,  3  per  cent  ; 
available  phosphoric  acid,  4  per  cent ;  potash,  8  per  cent. 

The  following  ingredients  will  give  approximately  the 
amount  of  plant-food  contained  in  500  pounds  of  the 
above  formula :  this  is  the  amount  to  an  acre  usually 
employed. 

50  pounds  nitrate  of  soda, 
50  pounds  dried  blood,  17  per  cent  ammonia, 
150  pounds  acid  phosphate,  14  per  cent  available, 
80  pounds  muriate  of  potash. 

This  fertilizer  should  be  applied  a  short  distance  away 
from  the  hill  and  scattered  evenly  on  the  ground  out  to  a 
distance  of  three  or  four  feet  from  the  hill.  It  is  worked 
in  either  by  hand  implements  or  cultivators. 

If  the  vines  are  showing  a  lack  of  vigor,  or  a  lack  of 
healthy  color,  much  good  can  be  done  frequently  by 
applying  from  50  to  100  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  nitrate 
of  potash.  This  material  should  be  applied  broadcast 
at  a  time  when  the  leaves  are  perfectly  dry,  otherwise 
scalding  of  the  leaves  will  occur  to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree. 
If  the  conditions  are  such  as  to  permit  any  of  the  chemical 
to  remain  lodged  in  the  leaves,  scalding  is  almost  certain 
to  follow. 

Cultivating  cucumbers. 

Where  the  seed  is  sown  in  the  field  or  plants  from  a  cold- 
frame  set  out,  the  land  must  be  in  the  best  of  tilth.  If 
warm  dry  weather  follows  the  time  of  sowing,  the  first 


166  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

plowing  may  be  delayed  ten  days ;  but  by  this  time  the 
cultivator  should  be  used  on  each  side  of  the  row,  and  a 
week  after  this  plowing  the  rows  should  be  cross-plowed. 
If  plants  have  been  set  out,  the  plowing  should  not  be 
delayed  so  long.  This  plowing  is  not  so  much  to  kill 
out  young  weeds  as  to  get  air  into  the  soil,  and  to  conserve 
the  moisture.  If  rains  occur  soon  after  planting,  no 
time  should  be  lost  in  loosening  the  soil;  this  will  help 
to  let  off  the  surplus  water  besides  aerating  and  warming 
the  soil. 

It  is  usually  not  necessary  to  cultivate  the  middles 
deeply  oftener  than  twice  a  month,  just  often  enough  to 
keep  the  land  in  good  condition.  An  implement  known 
as  a  weeder  and  drawn  by  one  or  two  horses  is  excellent 
for  keeping  the  middles  in  proper  tilth.  As  the  vines  grow 
out  from  the  hills,  the  "middles"  will  decrease  in  width 
until  finally  the  vines  meet  and  plowing  must  be  suspended. 
In  case  the  vines  begin  to  run  too  much,  their  tips  should  be 
cut  off ;  this  will  cause  new  laterals  to  be  formed  and  the 
hill  to  grow  compact.  It  is  not  good  to  disturb  a  vine, 
as  this  loosens  its  hold  and  gives  the  wind  a  chance  to 
mutilate  it.  If  the  hill  is  kept  compact  by  heading  in  the 
runners,  the  vines  will  cling  to  one  another,  and  prevent 
any  damage  from  their  being  blown  about. 

Picking  and  packing. 

Cucumbers  are  "ripe"  when  the  blossom  end  has  filled 
out  well.  It  is  best  to  allow  them  to  get  as  large  as  possible 
without  letting  the  seed  harden.  As  soon  as  the  shell 
around  the  seed  begins  to  harden  they  are  no  longer  sal- 
able ;  this  can  be  learned  by  testing  a  few.  One  will  find 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  167 

that  this  will  differ  with  the  variety.  If  by  chance  some 
have  been  left  too  long  on  the  vine,  they  should  be  pulled 
as  soon  as  possible.  A  ripening  cucumber  saps  the  vitality 
of  a  vine  to  a  remarkable  degree.  Culls  and  wormy 
fruits  should  also  be  removed  and  destroyed  immediately. 
Sometimes  culls  can  be  sold  in  the  local  market  to  advan- 
tage, but  it  will  not  pay  to  ship  them. 

Cucumbers  are  usually  shipped  in  special  carriers. 
(Plate  XI.)  They  should  be  picked  while  dry,  taken  to  the 
packing  house,  sorted  and  crated.  They  are  laid  in  quickly 
and  evenly,  pressed  down  with  a  lever,  and  the  top  fastened. 
The  product  should  not  be  bruised  or  loose  enough  to 
shake  in  the  crate  in  transit.  It  is  necessary  to  pick  a 
field  three  times  a  week.  The  amount  that  an  acre  will 
produce  seems  incredible  to  those  who  have  not  raised  a 
full  crop ;  while  200  or  300  crates  may  be  considered  a 
fair  crop,  yields  of  600,  800,  and  even  900  crates  to  the 
acre,  have  been  reported. 

Saving  cucumber  seed. 

The  seed  may  be  kept  some  years  without  serious  loss  of 
vitality,  though  fresh  seed  is  preferred.  If  the  shipping 
season  should  be  short,  the  remainder  of  the  crop  may  be 
allowed  to  ripen.  Saving  seed  is  simple,  easy  and  prof- 
itable. The  ripe  cucumbers  are  gathered,  of  course  only 
the  perfectly  formed  ones  being  selected.  The  fruit  is 
cut  into  halves  lengthways,  and  the  seed  and  pulp  scraped 
out  into  a  barrel,  which  may  be  filled  half  or  three-fourths 
full  but  not  more,  as  otherwise  the  fermenting  would 
cause  it  to  run  over.  The  material  is  allowed  to  remain 
in  the  barrel  from  two  to  five  days  to  ferment,  when  the 


168  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

mucilage  will  have  disappeared  from  the  seeds.  It  should 
be  stirred  once  or  twice  a  day  to  mix  the  whole  thoroughly, 
so  that  the  fermentation  will  go  on  evenly.  As  soon  as 
the  seed  will  wash  clean,  it  should  be  removed  from  the 
barrel. 

If  one  has  a  hydrant  or  force-pump,  the  work  of  cleaning 
seed  can  be  greatly  facilitated.  A  number  3  and  a  number 
10  sieve  should  be  provided  beforehand  for  this  work; 
these  can  be  obtained  from  most  hardware  stores.  A  large 
tub  should  also  be  provided.  This  tub  should  be  filled  with 
water  and  the  number  3  sieve  filled  with  some  of  the 
pulp  from  the  barrel  immersed.  While  the  sieve  is  under 
water,  the  pulp  is  worked  about  to  separate  the  seeds; 
these  being  heavier  pass  through  the  sieve,  while  most  of 
the  pulp  and  pieces  of  rind  are  caught.  When  nearly  all 
the  seeds  have  passed  through,  the  sieve  is  rinsed  out 
and  the  pulp  removed.  The  operation  is  repeated  until 
a  barrel  of  material  has  been  worked  through.  Some  of 
the  pieces  of  pulp  that  passed  through  the  sieve  can  be 
floated  off  by  forcing  water  among  the  seed.  The  seed  is 
poured  into  the  number  10  sieve  and  set  aside  to  drain. 
Protecting  cloth  will  be  found  excellent  to  dry  the  seeds 
on.  They  may  be  spread  out  to  the  sun  for  an  hour  or 
two,  and  the  drying  completed  in  the  shade.  When 
the  seed  is  thoroughly  dry,  the  remaining  heavy  particles 
are  winnowed  and  finally  sifted  out  through  the  number 
10  sieve.  The  seeds  are  then  wrapped  and  labeled  se- 
curely. It  will  be  advisable  to  look  out  for  mice  and 
roaches  as  well  as  moisture.  The  seeds  are  wrapped  in 
glazed  paper  or  parchment  paper  and  placed  in  a  tight 
box. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  169 

As  stated  before,  this  seed  has  great  vitality;  conse- 
quently it  can  be  kept  for  two  or  three  years. 

Varieties. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  cucumber  that  are  com- 
mendable for  forcing,  but  for  field  culture  none  exceeds 
in  popularity  the  Improved  White  Spine.  For  home 
use  an  earlier  variety,  such  as  Early  Russian  or  Early 
Cluster,  may  be  raised ;  and  Japanese  Climbing  or  Tele- 
graph are  good  varieties  for  trellising. 


SQUASH 

The  squashes  belong  to  at  least  three  species.  The 
summer  squashes  (of  the  crookneck  and  scallop  type)  are 
forms  of  Cucurbita  Pepo;  the  field  pumpkin  of  the  North, 
used  for  stock  feed  and  for  pies,  is  a  form  of  the  same 
species.  The  large  field  squashes  of  the  Hubbard  and 
turban  types  are  Cucurbita  maxima.  The  winter  squashes 
are  mostly  of  the  species  C.  moschata,  although  forms  of 
C.  maxima  are  good  keepers.  The  summer  squashes  are 
probably  native  to  America.  These  do  not  intercross 
with  the  winter  squashes.  Large  squashes  of  any  of  the 
three  species  are  usually  called  pumpkins.  Squashes  of 
some  kind  are  grown  in  several  parts  of  the  tropics,  and 
when  acclimated  often  give  better  results  than  the  first 
sowing  of  seed  grown  in  a  colder  climate. 

It  is  thought  by  some  persons  that  when  watermelons 
and  squashes,  watermelons  and  muskmelons,  water- 
melons and  cucumbers,  or  any  other  combination  of  these 
vegetables,  are  planted  together,  they  will  produce  hybrids, 


170  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

bees  and  other  insects  carrying  the  pollen.  While  this 
belief  is  firmly  impressed  on  some  gardeners,  no  botanist  or 
horticulturist  has  yet  been  able  to  produce  these  hybrids. 
In  no  case  has  fruit  set,  but  the  blossoms  have  fallen  as 
though  not  fertilized.  Different  varieties  of  squashes, 
however,  will  cross  with  one  another  freely. 

Choosing  the  soil  for  squashes. 

A  good  cucumber  soil  is  also  a  good  squash  soil.  Very 
rich  land  with  but  little  sand  in  the  soil  is  not  adapted  for 
squashes ;  there  will  be  an  abundance  of  fruit,  but  it  will  be 
insipid  and  will  rot  easily.  A  piece  of  well-drained  sandy 
muckland  raises  heavy  crops  of  good  fruit.  For  ship- 
ping, the  early  varieties  are  about  the  only  ones  that  pay. 

Squashes  have  one  advantage  over  melons  and  cucumbers, 
in  that  they  can  be  grown  on  freshly-broken  land.  All 
that  is  necessary  is  to  keep  the  land  in  a  well-worked 
condition.  It  does  not  pay  to  neglect  this  crop. 

Fertilizers. 

Almost  any  kind  of  decaying  organic  matter  will  make 
a  good  manure  for  squashes.  They  respond  to  good  treat- 
ment, however.  The  plants  should  not  be  allowed  to 
exhaust  the  fertilizer  which  is  in  the  soil  in  an  available 
form,  before  more  is  applied.  If  the  fertilizer  is  well 
balanced,  there  will  be  no  trouble  arising  from  too  much 
being  used ;  but  care  must  be  exercised  not  to  use  too  much 
nitrogen.  J.  J.  H.  Gregory,  who  is  the  best  authority 
on  squash-raising  in  the  country,  applies  an  amount  of 
manure  that  seems  very  large  indeed,  and  at  the  close  of 
his  discussion  on  fertilizers  he  makes  this  pointed  state- 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  171 

ment :  "  Catch  a  farmer  of  that  class  (one  who  fertilizes 
heavily)  going  backwards  and  putting  on  less  and  less 
manure  on  his  ground,  what  a  phenomenon  he  would  be. 
No;  the  progress  of  all  enterprising  farmers  is  in  one 
direction.  By  extra  manuring,  the  possibilities  of  re- 
ceiving extra  paying  returns  are  far  greater  in  agricultural 
than  in  commercial  life,  as  figures  will  readily  show, 
though  the  popular  belief  is  directly  the  contrary." 

Of  all  the  plants  that  have  been  discussed,  squashes 
can  best  stand  top-dressing  in  fertilizing  and  are  best 
adapted  to  hill  fertilization.  A  plan  that  has  long  been 
followed,  is  to  dig  a  circle  about  2  feet  in  diameter  and 
a  foot  deep,  and  fill  in  with  fertilizer  together  with  the 
earth  taken  out ;  this  will  make  a  mole-hill-shaped  mound 
when  finished.  The  seeds  are  then  planted  on  the  top. 
This  involves  much  unnecessary  work  with  no  advantage. 
A  better  way  is  to  make  the  hills  where  wanted,  fertilize 
heavily  and  mix  well  with  the  soil,  but  not  stir  more  than 
6  or  8  inches  deep,  as  the  roots  are  surface  feeders  and 
should  not  be  coaxed  into  the  soil.  The  second  applica- 
tion should  be  made  when  the  vines  begin  to  run,  and 
must  be  placed  some  distance  from  the  hill. 

Fertilizers  for  squashes. 

The  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  in  the  following 
proportions :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  6  per  cent ;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  1000  to  1500 
pounds  of  the  above  formula  to  the  acre.  If  nitrate  of 
soda  is  used  to  supply  the  nitrogen,  several  applications 
will  have  to  be  given.  It  will  be  better,  however,  to  use 
some  less  soluble  form. 


172  *  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

The  following  amounts  of  fertilizers  will  give  the  prob- 
able desired  amount  of  each  element : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 
650  to  1000  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
,     400  to    600  dried  blood ;  or 

Ammonia     ...       {    mto    400  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 
200  to    300  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid     .       600  to  750  acid  phosphate. 

f  1000  to  ISOOkainit;  or 
p       ,  ]    160  to    225  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

|    160  to    225  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;  or 
[   300  to   450  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 
Planting  squashes. 

The  hills  are  planted  4  by  4  or  8  by  8  feet  apart,  accord- 
ing as  the  plants  are  of  the  bush  or  running  class,  and  the 
seed  dropped  directly  in  the  field,  about  1\  pounds  being 
required  for  an  acre.  There  is  less  danger  from  insects 
than  in  the  case  of  cucumbers.  It  is  well  to  drop  about 
six  seeds  to  the  hill  and  when  the  danger  from  insects  is 
past,  thin  out  to  one  or  two  plants. 

When  a  crop  is  wanted  early,  it  can  be  obtained  by 
following  the  directions  given  under  the  discussion  of 
cucumbers.  One  should  begin  with  a  4-inch  pot,  however. 
Some  gardeners  cut  sods,  turn  them  upside  down,  and  plant 
seed  on  these  in  a  coldframe  or  hotbed.  This  practice 
works  very  well  with  those  who  give  careful  attention  to 
the  growing  of  squashes,  but  with  the  novice,  it  fails 
oftener  than  it  succeeds.  The  one  important  point  to  be 
kept  in  mind  is,  that  the  plant  should  never  be  checked 
in  growth. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  173 

Cultivating. 

Soon  after  the  earlier  leaves  appear,  the  squash  plant 
seems  to  become  weak  near  the  ground,  and  is  easily  tossed 
about  from  one  side  to  another  by  the  wind,  and  often  is 
broken  off  or  at  least  severely  bruised.  This  can  be 
remedied  by  drawing  the  earth  up  to  the  plants  with  a  hoe, 
but  this  should  not  be  carried  on  so  far  as  to  make  a  hill 
for  them  to  stand  on ;  just  enough  should  be  drawn  up  to 
hold  the  plant  in  place. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  are  set  in  the  field,  or  as  soon  as  the 
seedlings  appear  above  the  ground,  the  horse  and  plow 
should  be  set  to  work  in  the  field.  If  the  field  is  in  good 
cultivation,  there  is  not  much  use  for  a  hoe;  the  filling 
referred  to  before  can  be  done  with  a  cultivator.  If  the 
season  is  dry,  the  top  of  the  soil  should  be  stirred  often 
to  conserve  the  moisture.  During  drought  the  weeds 
should  be  zealously  kept  down,  as  they  cause  great  loss  of 
moisture  in  the  soil. 

When  the  vines  begin  to  "run"  they  should  grow  very 
rapidly  —  some  have  been  ascertained  to  grow  fourteen 
inches  in  twenty-four  hours.  Therefore  the  field  should  be 
kept  in  the  best  condition  before  this  tune.  It  is  a  bad 
practice  to  pick  the  vines  up  and  turn  them  from  their 
course ;  they  are  subsequently  so  easily  broken  by  the  wind 
that  little  or  no  fruit  sets. 

When  land  is  high-priced,  squashes  are  planted  as  a 
second  crop,  or  at  the  edge  of  some  other  crop,  as  corn. 

Marketing. 

Squashes  are  usually  marketed  in  barrels  or  boxes. 
While  many  acres  of  squash  have  been  grown  in  the 


174  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

South,  it  is  not  a  crop  to  be  relied  upon  for  profit.  The 
gardeners  in  the  North  are  able  to  store  and  keep  their  fall 
crop  over  winter,  so  it  is  late  in  the  spring  before  there  is 
a  great  demand  for  the  southern-grown  produce.  It  is 
a  good  crop,  however,  to  raise  for  home  markets,  and  is  so 
easily  grown  that  every  farmer  or  gardener  can  have 
squashes  for  family  use. 

The  seed  does  not  keep  its  vitality  as  long  as  that  of 
cucumbers ;  the  best  way  is  to  test  it  before  planting. 

Varieties. 

For  the  northern  market,  the  summer  or  bush  class  of 
squashes  can  be  planted.  Early  White  Bush,  Scallop, 
and  early  Summer  Crookneck  are  the  best  sellers.  The 
Straightneck  is  easier  to  pack  than  the  Crookneck. 
Golden  Custard,  English  Marrow,  and  Italian  Marrow  are 
good  varieties. 

For  home  use  and  home  markets,  the  fall  sorts  will  be  the 
more  profitable.  Early  Orange  Marrow,  Boston  Marrow, 
Winter  Crookneck,  Marblehead,  and  Hubbard  are  de- 
sirable varieties. 

CHAYOTE 

The  chayote  is  a  Mexican  relative  of  the  squash,  and 
is  grown  throughout  the  West  Indies  and  the  adjoining 
tropical  mainland.  It  is  perennial  and  forms  a  large 
starchy  tuberous  root.  The  vines  climb  many  feet,  and 
may  bear  each  year  a  hundred  or  more  fruits,  weighing 
from  a  few  ounces  to  two  pounds.  These  fruits  are  pear- 
shaped  or  rounded,  and  deeply  grooved.  Some  varieties 
have  a  few  soft  spines.  The  color  is  white  or  green.  The 


PLATE  IX.  —  TWELVE  VARIETIES  OF  CHAYOTE  (Sechium  edule). 
ONE-THIRD  NATURAL  SIZE. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  175 

flesh  is  firmer  than  that  of  the  eggplant  or  squash,  and  is 
usually  cooked  or  fried,  or  stewed  with  sugar.  The 
chayote  and  the  eggplant  are  the  two  green  vegetables  that 
are  nearly  always  obtainable  in  the  West  Indies.  From 
its  perennial  nature,  this  plant  seems  especially  suited  to 
the  tropics,  and  to  those  parts  of  the  subtropics  where 
frosts  are  quite  or  nearly  absent.  It  is  one  of  the  Cu- 
curbitacese;  the  botanical  name  is  Sechium  edule.  It  is 
native  to  tropical  America.  The  fruit  differs  from  all 
the  squash  and  melon  tribes  in  having  but  a  single  seed, 
and  this  is  very  large.  (See  Plate  IX.) 

The  chayote  is  indispensable  in  the  tropical  vegetable 
garden;  since,  once  planted,  it  requires  no  further  care, 
and  for  several  years  will  bear  a  heavy  crop.  It  is  grown 
for  the  market  in  several  subtropical  countries.  Each 
fruit  contains  but  one  large  seed,  and  the  whole  fruit  is 
always  planted  in  the  soil,  on  its  side  and  partly  covered. 
The  fruits  may  be  planted  near  a  trellis  or  fence,  up 
which  the  vines  can  climb.  They  may  be  set  out  10 
or  more  feet  apart.  The  plants  begin  to  bear  in  three  or 
four  months.  The  young  shoots  make  a  good  green  vege- 
table, and  the  stems  and  leaves  have  been  used  for  fodder. 
The  white  ivory-looking  varieties  have  the  best  appearance 
in  the  market,  though  the  green  kinds  are  most  frequently 
grown  for  domestic  use.  This  vegetable  stands  shipping 
remarkably  well,  and  is  found  more  or  less  regularly  in  the 
New  Orleans  market.  It  is  usually  picked  for  home  con- 
sumption before  it  is  quite  ripe. 

In  South  Florida,  where  the  climatic  conditions  appear 
to  be  favorable,  the  chayote  is  usually  killed  by  the  downy 
mildew  before  maturing  a  crop.  By  giving  special  atten- 


176  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

tion  to  protect  the  roots  against  freezing,  however,  fruits 
have  been  grown  even  as  far  north  as  Georgia. 

Bulletin. 

The  Chayote;  A  Tropical  Vegetable,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Div.  of  Botany, 
Bulletin  28,  1901. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

VEGETABLES   WITH  EDIBLE   FRUITS  — SOLA- 
NACEOUS  PLANTS 

THE  plants  included  in  this  chapter  all  belong  to  the 
Solanacese  or  potato  family.  They  are  tomatoes,  egg- 
plants, and  capsicums  or  peppers.  All  of  them  are 
warm-country  plants,  very  susceptible  to  frost  or  cold. 
The  seeds  are  rather  small,  and  are  commonly  started  in 
pots,  flats,  or  frames.  Other  plants  belonging  to  the 
Solanaceae  are  all  the  nicotianas,  including  tobacco ;  also 
belladonna,  strawberry  tomato  or  ground  cherry,  pepino, 
tree  tomato,  henbane,  jimson-weed,  petunia. 


TOMATO 

This  tropical  American  plant  has  been  known  to  us 
for  only  three  hundred  years.  The  large  smooth  varieties 
have  originated  within  the  last  forty  years.  The  tomato, 
whose  home  was,  apparently,  on  the  dry  west  coast  of 
South  or  Central  America,  suffers  in  damp  weather  from 
many  fungous  enemies.  Hence  in  a  moist  climate,  like 
that  of  Florida,  the  use  of  a  spray  of  bordeaux  mixture  is 
often  a  necessity  for  successful  tomato-growing.  To  pro- 
duce abundant  fruits,  however,  this  plant  must  have  a 
N  177 


178  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

fair  supply  of  water.  Hence  it  grows  well  in  a  dry  climate 
under  irrigation.  The  original  tomatoes  had  small  fruits 
and  grew  upright  like  the  Irish  potato,  their  relative. 
But  the  larger  fruits,  which  have  been  produced  by  selec- 
tion and  cultivation,  weigh  the  branches  down  to  the 
ground  and  necessitate  the  staking  of  the  plant  to  keep  it 
in  an  erect  position. 

The  tomato  is  to-day  one  of  the  most  popular  of  vege- 
tables. It  is  grown  in  the  open  all  over  the  world  where  the 
summer  is  long  enough  to  allow  the  three  months  or  more 
free  from  frost  which  it  requires  for  its  growth.  Where 
the  summers  are  too  short  and  cool,  as  in  England,  it  is 
grown  extensively  in  greenhouses.  It  is  remarkably  well 
fitted  for  growth  in  subtropical  countries  during  the  spring 
and  early  summer  and  late  fall.  It  may  be  easily  grown  in 
tropical  lands  during  the  cool  season,  especially  with  the 
help  of  occasional  irrigation. 

By  planting  under  a  slat  shed,  or  at  an  elevation  of  a 
few  thousand  feet,  it  may  be  possible  to  obtain  good 
tomatoes  in  many  tropical  localities  throughout  the  year. 
This  wholesome  vegetable  is  indispensable  for  the  tropical 
garden,  and  will,  with  a  little  care,  yield  fruit  equal  to 
that  produced  in  a  more  temperate  climate.  It  has  some- 
times been  noticed,  however,  that  the  seed  saved  in  hot 
countries,  especially  from  volunteer  plants,  is  degenerate ; 
but  this  may  be  the  result  of  careless  selection.  To  avoid 
such  degeneration,  the  tomato  has  been  reproduced  in 
the  West  Indies  from  year  to  year  by  cuttings  only.  A 
well-drained  soil,  judicious  irrigation,  and  mulching  in 
dry  weather,  trellising  and  pruning,  will  give  the  best 
results  in  hot  climates.  For  the  tropical  garden,  the  larger 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  179 

fruited  varieties,  such  as  Ponderosa,  seem  to  be  preferred 
for  local  use;  though  when,  as  in  Cuba,  tomatoes  are 
grown  for  northern  markets,  the  medium-sized  shipping 
varieties  have  the  preference. 

In  the  United  States,  more  and  more  attention  is  given 
to  placing  this  vegetable  in  the  market  all  the  year  round. 
The  crop  of  the  North  is  usually  cut  off  by  frosts  in  Sep- 
tember or  October,  while  that  of  the  states  farther  south, 
such  as  North  and  South  Carolina,  is  not  usually  cut  off 
until  November  or  December.  During  December  the  crop 
from  south  Florida  is  brought  forward  to  the  market,  and 
the  Florida  crop  continues  to  be  shipped  as  long  as  it  will 
pay  for  transportation.  Under  favorable  conditions,  by 
the  first  of  May  the  crop  as  far  north  as  Georgia  begins  to 
ripen,  and  is  pushed  forward  to  the  market,  crowding  the 
Florida  crop  out. 

Tomato  seed. 

There  are  very  many  seedsmen  from  whom  one  can 
obtain  tomato  seed,  but  not  all  of  these  grow  their  own 
seed.  If  the  seed  of  a  new  variety  is  offered  for  sale,  and 
it  is  thought  that  it  will  be  profitable  in  a  certain  section,  a 
package  of  seed  and  one  year's  test  will  greatly  help  to 
decide  the  question.  When  a  vegetable-grower  has  once 
found  a  well-established  variety  which  gives  good  success, 
he  should  not  readily  discard  it  for  something  else  that  he 
has  not  tried.  Money  saved  by  buying  inferior  seed  is 
lost  over  and  over  again  in  the  crop.  In  selecting  seeds- 
men from  whom  to  procure  seed,  one  should  first  find  out 
whether  they  make  tomato-seed-growing  a  specialty,  or 
whether  it  is  merely  a  secondary  matter.  Whenever 


180  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

possible,  one  should  procure  seed  from  those  who  make  a 
specialty  of  tomato-growing. 

Seed-beds. 

In  regions  where  there  are  slight  frosts  in  winter,  the 
seed-beds  may  be  protected  by  boarding  round  and  cover- 
ing with  protecting  cloth,  so  as  to  make  a  coldframe. 
This  cloth  is  waterproof  and  may  be  rolled  up  during  the 
day. 

The  coldframe  will  be  found  profitable  at  any  place 
where  the  coldest  part  of  the  winter  is  about  24°  F.  If, 
however,  there  is  an  occasional  winter  that  gets  colder 
than  this,  one  can  make  preparations  for  it.  The  plants 
in  the  coldframe  can  be  covered  with  litter  or  leaves,  and 
the  protecting  cloth  rolled  over  this;  should  the  cold 
continue  for  several  days,  there  will  be  no  danger  in  leaving 
the  bed  in  this  way. 

In  south  Florida,  where  the  temperature  rarely  gets  to 
the  freezing  point  during  winter,  tomatoes  may  be  planted 
in  an  uncovered  seed-bed.  There  should,  however,  be 
some  protection  against  the  hot  sun  and  against  frosty 
nights  and  even  cold  winds.  A  warm  location  should  be 
chosen.  If  it  has  not  a  natural  wind-break,  one  may  be 
prepared  on  the  east,  north,  and  west  sides,  leaving  the 
south  open.  Even  when  the  crop  is  wanted  for  late  fall 
shipments,  seed-beds  will  be  found  useful.  The  seed 
should  be  sown  about  f  inch  deep,  about  two  to  the 
inch,  in  drills  about  f  inch  apart,  the  seed  covered  care- 
fully, the  ground  smoothed  off,  and  the  soil  thoroughly 
moistened. 

In  tropical  countries  the  seed-beds  can  be  shaded  by 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  181 

cheese-cloth  or  cotton  cloth  until  the  plants  are  fairly 
large;  and  in  case  of  ground  free  from  weeds,  and 
where  the  land  is  fairly  moist,  the  seed  may  be  sown  in 
the  field,  if  there  is  no  likelihood  of  heavy  washing  from 
rains. 

For  commercial  growing,  the  seed  is  sown  thinly  and 
the  plants  left  in  the  seed-bed,  with  perhaps  some  thinning, 
until  they  can  be  set  out  in  the  field.  But  if  it  is  found  to 
pay,  the  seeds  may  be  sown  thickly  in  part  of  the  cold- 
frame,  and  picked  out  when  they  are  an  inch  or  less  high. 
In  temperate  latitudes  more  transplanting  is  sometimes 
done,  but  it  has  been  found  by  experiment  to  lessen  the 
crop  and  delay  the  maturing  of  the  fruits,  and  also  involves 
extra  cost. 

Soil  for  tomatoes, 

For  the  winter  crop,  the  soil  should  be  a  warm  sandy 
loam  with  a  gentle  slope  to  the  south.  While  this  is  not 
always  obtainable,  it  is  very  desirable  to  have  at  least  a 
general  slope  to  the  south.  By  careful  tests  it  has  been 
proven  that  soil  that  has  a  southern  slope  may  be  five  or 
six  degrees  warmer  than  that  which  has  a  northern  slope. 
For  this  reason  a  clay  or  marl  loam  should  be  avoided,  ex- 
cept where  the  crop  is  wanted  for  the  late  market;  in 
such  a  case  a  clay  or  marl  soil  will  be  found  well  adapted. 
Another  important  point  in  locating  a  tomato  field  is  to 
have  a  good  wind-break  to  the  north,  east,  and  west. 
Many  cold  winds  that  are  not  severe  enough  to  freeze 
will  be  harmful  to  the  plants.  In  fact,  any  temperature 
below  45°  will  be  found  detrimental  to  the  plants,  and 
will  be  all  the  more  so  if  accompanied  by  high  winds,  as 


182  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

these  carry  the  warmth  away  from  the  plants  and  soil 
rapidly.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  find  that  the  only 
tomato  plants  which  have  survived  a  cold  spell  are 
those  that  were  sheltered  from  the  wind  by  a  dense  ham- 
mock or  grove. 

Fertilizer. 

The  fertilizer  used  should  contain  the  following  ingre- 
dients :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid, 
6  per  cent ;  potash,  7  per  cent.  Use  from  1000  to  2000 
pounds  to  the  acre,  depending  upon  the  fertility  of  the 
soil  and  the  distance  apart  that  the  plants  are  set.  If  the 
soil  is  rich  in  humus  or  nitrogenous  matter,  a  part  of  the 
nitrogen  should  be  withheld,  as  too  much  of  this  element 
makes  tomatoes  soft  and  liable  to  have  hollow  places  in 
their  interior. 

When  the  fruit  is  maturing,  an  abundance  of  available 
potash  in  the  soil  is  desirable  to  make  it  firm  and  solid. 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

A  .  f  275  to     550  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 

'1200  to    400  sulf  ate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .    .     600  to  1200  acid  phosphate. 
900  to  1800  kainit ;  or 


Potash 


140  to     280  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

140  to     280  high-grade  sulf  ate  of  potash ;  or 

300  to     600  low-grade  sulf  ate  of  potash. 


Preparing  the  tomato  field. 

A  sandy  loam  needs  little  preparation.  In  fact,  it  is 
usually  sufficient  to  plow  the  land  deeply  and  work  down 
with  a  cutaway  harrow.  All  dead  roots,  brush,  or  debris 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  183 

should  be  removed  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  later  cul- 
tivation. A  one-horse  plow  may  then  be  used  to  open 
out  a  double  furrow  where  the  row  is  to  stand,  and  the 
fertilizer  worked  in  this  furrow,  a  portion  of  it  being 
scattered  in  the  bottom  and  some  of  the  soil  worked  on  to 
this,  then  another  portion  of  the  fertilizer  applied  and  more 
soil  worked  into  the  furrow,  and  so  on  until  all  the 
fertilizer  has  been  used. 

In  a  sandy  soil  or  a  sandy  loam,  it  is  preferable  to  use 
the  fertilizer  in  two  or  more  applications.  The  first 
application  is  made  before  the  plants  are  set  and  should 
contain  a  high  percentage  of  ammonia  in  a  quickly  avail- 
able form.  The  second  may  be  made  just  as  the  first 
bloom  appears  and  may  contain  only  a  small  percentage 
of  ammonia.  If  at  any  time  during  the  growth  or  fruiting 
period  the  plants  are  showing  a  lack  of  thrift,  an  applica- 
tion of  75  or  150  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  nitrate  of 
potash  may  be  made  to  good  advantage.  The  latter 
will  give  firmer  and  better  shipping  fruit.  If  the  early 
bloom  is  being  cast  off,  this  can  frequently  be  corrected 
by  making  an  application  of  fifty  to  a  hundred  pounds  of 
high-grade  sulfate  of  potash.  But  if  the  casting  of  bloom 
is  due  to  cold  winds  or  too  much  moisture,  the  fertilizer  is 
not  likely  to  correct  it. 

Experiments  have  indicated  that  where  the  soil  is  reten- 
tive, for  example  stiff  clay,  nothing  is  gained,  and  indeed, 
something  is  lost  by  applying  the  fertilizer  at  different 
times.  If  the  season  is  very  moist,  the  ground  will  be 
ready  to  receive  the  plants  in  a  week  after  fertilizing.  If, 
however,  the  soil  remains  unusually  dry,  it  may  be  much 
longer. 


184  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Setting  out  tomato  plants. 

Before  the  plants  are  set  out  in  the  field,  they  should  be 
hardened  off,  but  this  must  be  done  very  carefully.  It 
is  not  a  good  practice  to  withhold  the  moisture  all  at  once, 
but  it  should  be  done  gradually.  In  this  way  the  plants 
adapt  themselves  to  the  conditions  and  are  thus  better 
able  to  stand  the  shock  which  they  receive  at  setting  out. 
A  week  before  the  time  the  plants  are  ready  to  be  set  out 
in  the  field,  just  enough  moisture  should  be  applied  to  keep 
the  plants  in  the  seed-bed  from  becoming  wilted.  It  will 
be  found,  treating  them  thus  from  day  to  day,  that  the 
plants  will  be  in  a  much  better  condition  to  be  set  out 
than  they  were  at  the  time  when  hardening  off  was 
begun. 

The  distance  at  which  tomatoes  should  be  set  varies 
with  the  fertility  of  the  field  and  with  the  varieties  used. 
If  one  has  an  ordinary  field  that  produces  about  thirty 
bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  and  wishes  to  use  about  1000 
pounds  of  fertilizer  to  the  acre,  it  will  be  well  to  plant 
in  checks,  4  by  4  feet.  If,  however,  the  land  is  very  fertile, 
the  tomatoes  may  be  planted  as  close  as  3  by  3  feet, 
or  the  rows  may  be  planted  4  feet  apart,  and  the  plants 
set  at  2  feet  or  even  less  in  the  row.  In  hot  climates  when 
tomato  plants  are  inclined  to  be  short  lived,  they  are 
placed  about  a  foot  apart  in  the  row.  Many  devices  for 
transplanting  purposes  have  been  invented,  but  none  seems 
to  meet  the  demands  fully.  Some  machines  are  drawn  by 
horse  power  and  others  worked  by  hand.  The  greatest  ob- 
jection against  some  of  these  is  the  cost  of  the  implement. 
Therefore,  for  various  reasons,  up  to  the  present  time  the 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  185 

bulk  of  the  crop  is  still  transplanted  by  hand,  and  as  this 
is  not  an  especially  expensive  operation,  it  will  be  continued 
for  many  years.  A  man  or  strong  boy  can  set  out  an 
acre  of  tomatoes  in  a  day.  Consequently,  it  should  not 
cost  more  than  $1  to  $2  to  set  out  an  acre  of  tomatoes,  in- 
cluding the  sets.  Various  labor-saving  devices,  or  so- 
called  short  cuts,  have  been  resorted  to  by  tomato-growers. 
One  that  has  been  recommended  is  to  plow  out  a  furrow 
with  a  one-horse  plow  and  drop  tomato  plants  along  this 
furrow  at  proper  intervals.  The  plants  are  so  dropped 
that  the  heads  project  to  one  side  of  the  furrow.  The  soil 
from  a  small  furrow  is  then  throw  upon  their  roots,  care 
being  exercised  not  to  cover  them  too  far.  The  plow  is 
then  run  down  the  outer  side  of  the  row,  which  will 
set  the  plants  more  or  less  erect.  For  such  an  operation 
it  will  be  necessary  to  have  plants  that  are  more  or  less 
drawn  out,  and  usually  considered  too  large  for  trans- 
planting. 

A  convenient  setting-out  tray  may  be  made  cheaply 
by  using  an  ordinary  soap  box  that  is  6  inches  deep,  12  or 
14  inches  wide,  and  10  inches  long.  One  end  of  this  is 
knocked  out  and  a  bail  fastened  from  one  side  to  the  other. 
The  plants  may  be  carried  in  this  to  the  field,  and,  as  they 
are  wanted,  taken  out  of  the  open  end  to  place  in  position. 

Cultivating. 

Cultivating  tomatoes  is  simple  and  not  laborious.  Most 
of  it  is  performed  by  a  one-horse  cultivator.  As  soon  as 
the  tomatoes  begin  to  show  bloom  or  set  fruit,  much  care 
should  be  taken  not  to  disturb  the  roots,  as  this  is  liable 
to  shock  the  plants  and  cause  the  bloom  to  fall. 


186  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Pruning  tomato  vines. 

Whether  it  will  pay  to  prune  or  trellis  a  commercial  crop 
of  tomatoes  can  only  be  determined  by  trial.  Many 
fungous  diseases  may  be  thus  kept  off  or  lessened. 

There  are  two  reasons  for  pruning  tomatoes.  The  first 
is  to  bring  the  earliest  fruit  in  earlier  than  it  would  ripen 
without  pruning.  The  second  is  to  develop  the  fruit 
to  its  fullest  extent.  The  earliest  form  of  pruning  was  to 
remove  all  the  side  shoots,  and  thus  train  the  plant  to 
one  main  stem,  or  vine,  as  it  is  usually  called ;  this  being 
either  tied  to  a  stake  or  fastened  to  a  trellis.  While  this 
does  much  toward  producing  a  good  crop,  it  does  little  in 
the  way  of  bringing  the  crop  in  earlier.  From  experience, 
it  has  been  proved  that  the  earliest  tomatoes  can  be  forced 
to  ripen  a  week  or  even  two  weeks  earlier  by  topping  than 
those  which  have  not  been  topped.  By  topping  or  cutting 
out  the  terminal  bud  just  below  the  second  cluster  of 
blossoms  before  the  first  cluster  has  begun  to  open,  the 
growing  force  is  thrown  into  the  first  cluster.  It  is  not 
at  all  uncommon,  under  such  treatment,  to  have  this 
cluster  produce  from  five  to  seven  tomatoes,  and  all  of 
these  to  ripen  at  nearly  the  same  time.  While  the  crop 
is  much  smaller  than  it  would  have  been  as  a  whole  if  no 
topping  had  occurred,  the  early  crop  comes  in  so  much 
earlier  that  it  more  than  compensates  for  the  loss  in 
quantity.  Staked  plants  are  usually  topped  after  they 
have  set  three  or  four  clusters. 

Pruning  should  not  be  carried  too  far,  however,  as  the 
leaf  surface  of  the  plant  must  be  sufficient  to  assimilate 
the  crude  material  that  is  absorbed  by  the  roots.  If 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  187 

the  leaf  surface  is  too  small,  so  much  absorbed  matter 
will  be  sent  to  them  that  the  tissues  and  cells  become 
swollen  and  unable  to  perform  their  functions.  It  should 
always  be  kept  in  mind  that  one  wants  to  check  the  growth 
of  the  stem  and  further  the  formation  of  fruit,  but  not  to 
interfere  with  the  production  of  leaf  surface  ;  so  the  mere 
removing  of  buds  and  flower-clusters  will  be  the  pruning 
desired.  The  extent  to  which  pruning  can  be  carried  will 
depend  largely  upon  the  variety,  condition  of  the  weather, 
and  kind  of  land.  A  dwarf  variety,  during  dry  weather  and 
on  poor,  dry  soil,  can  be  pruned  much  more  severely  than  a 
large-growing  variety,  during  a  rainy  season,  on  fertile 
lands ;  in  fact,  the  latter  will  scarcely  permit  any  pruning. 

Staking  tomatoes. 

The  usual  varieties  of  tomatoes  that  are  grown  for  north- 
ern markets  have  not  a  strong  enough  stem  to  carry  the 
weight  of  the  fruit.  Consequently  they  fall  over  and  the 
fruit  comes  in  contact  with  the  soil ;  this  renders  it  un- 
sightly and  also  very  accessible  to  attack  from  insects 
and  fungi.  Thus  many  tomatoes  are  lost  when  the  vines 
are  not  staked  and  tied.  Stakes  used  for  this  purpose 
are  about  one-and-one-half  inches  square  and  three  feet 
long.  One  of  these  is  driven  down  by  each  tomato  plant, 
and  the  plant  tied  firmly  to  this.  Some  soft  wrapping 
cord  is  employed.  The  cord  should  be  wrapped  twice 
around  the  stake  at  the  proper  height  and  a  hard  knot 
tied.  Then  the  string  is  passed  around  the  tomato 
plant  and  the  knot  tied  so  as  to  hold  the  plant  loosely. 
Staking  and  tying  tomatoes  will  not  be  found  profitable 
where  land  is  cheap  and  labor  high  priced.  (See  Plate  XII.) 


188  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Trellising. 

The  trellising  of  tomatoes  is  carried  on  in  parts  of  the 
United  States  where  tomatoes  are  selling  at  a  low  figure, 
and  yet  it  is  found  profitable  to  do  this  work.  In  preparing 
the  trellis,  posts  are  placed  in  the  ground  at  proper  distances 
and  two  or  three  wires  attached  to  these,  much  as  in  vine- 
yards. The  tomatoes  are  then  tied  to  the  wires,  or  if  the 
wires  have  been  placed  close  enough  together,  the  plants 
are  simply  trained  to  them. 

Either  staking  or  trellising  should  be  practiced  in  the 
South,  where  a  late  summer  or  early  fall  crop  is  wanted 
for  home  use.  For  a  small  garden  it  pays  to  prune  and 
trellis. 

Picking  tomatoes. 

The  picking  season  is  the  busiest  of  the  year  for  the 
tomato-grower.  If  his  crop  is  ready  to  go  forward,  it 
must  be  put  on  the  market  without  delay.  The  loss  of 
twenty-four  hours  may  often  work  a  damage  of  $100  on  a 
single  car-load;  consequently  everything  should  be  in 
readiness,  and  all  the  necessary  hands  ready  to  go  to  work. 
During  the  cool  winter  months,  the  tomatoes  must  be 
allowed  to  assume  a  light  color  or  even  a  slight  tinge  of 
red  before  picking,  otherwise  they  will  arrive  in  the  market 
too  green.  During  the  warm  summer  months  these 
same  tomatoes  would  have  arrived  in  the  market  over- 
ripe ;  therefore,  the  tomatoes  must  be  allowed  to  become 
riper  on  the  vines  in  cold  weather  than  in  the  warm 
part  of  the  year.  In  the  warm  spring  months,  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  allow  the  tomatoes  to  become  full-grown  and 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  189 

change  slightly  from  green  to  whitish ;  but  it  will  require 
considerable  experience  before  one  is  able  to  pick  just  at 
the  right  time. 

The  picking  is  usually  done  in  ordinary  market  baskets. 
Hands  for  this  purpose  must  be  selected  with  some  degree 
of  caution,  as  only  those  who  can  discriminate  well  and 
who  are  not  rough  with  the  vegetables  should  be  em- 
ployed. At  convenient  places  in  the  field,  boxes  are 
placed ;  these  boxes  are  about  ten  inches  wide,  fourteen 
deep,  and  thirty  long;  they  hold  about  two  crates.  In 
making  such  boxes  it  will  be  found  best  not  to  leave  any 
cracks  open,  and  to  make  them  of  whole  boards;  this 
lessens  the  danger  of  injuring  the  fruit.  Strips  are  nailed 
across  the  ends,  which  serve  as  handles  and  at  the  same 
time  give  additional  strength.  It  is  desirable  to  make  the 
box  large  enough  to  hold  two  crates,  as  this  weight  usually 
requires  the  attention  of  the  person  handling  it,  and  there 
will  be  less  danger  of  carelessness. 

Packing-house. 

It  is  very  desirable  to  have  the  tomato  packing-house 
located  at  a  depot  or  railway  switch,  so  that  the  crated 
vegetables  can  be  loaded  directly  on  the  car;  this  will 
save  one  handling,  and  consequently  compensate  for  a  con- 
siderable haul.  If,  however,  the  packing-house  is  so  far 
from  the  railroad  that  the  crated  fruit  must  be  handled, 
it  should  then  be  placed  as  near  the  center  of  the  field  as 
possible.  There  are  many  reasons  why  a  packing-house 
should  not  be  near  dwellings. 

The  interior  of  the  packing-house  should  be  arranged 
so  that  the  boxes  are  received  from  the  wagon  and  set  on 


190  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  floor  without  any  high  lifting;  they  should  be  on  a 
level  with  the  sorter's  bench.  After  the  tomatoes  are 
received,  they  should  be  sorted  immediately,  and  the 
different  kinds  placed  in  separate .  places  to  be  packed. 
The  person  placed  at  the  sorter's  bench  must  be  quick 
at  discriminating  and  active  with  his  hands.  Chutes 
can  be  arranged  to  carry  the  fruit  to  the  different  tables, 
or  it  can  be  made  to  run  into  different  boxes,  which  when 
full  may  be  put  in  place  for  wrapping.  The  wrapper's 
bench  should  not  be  higher  than  the  boxes  that  receive 
the  fruit  from  the  sorters.  After  the  fruit  has  been 
packed,  it  should  continue  to  be  carried  downward  and 
in  no  case  should  there  be  any  lifted  upward.  The  packed 
fruit  may  then  be  delivered  to  the  other  side  of  the  packing- 
house, and  carted  to  the  station. 

Sorting  tomatoes. 

The  successful  tomato-growers  usually  sort  their 
tomatoes  into  various  grades,  depending  largely  upon  the 
tastes  of  the  growers  and  the  market  for  which  they 
prepare.  There  are  two  general  grades  that  are  recog- 
nized by  all  tomato-growers,  and  they  are  usually  observed 
even  by  persons  who  make  no  pretense  of  grading  their 
tomatoes;  these  are  usually  spoken  of  as  "ripes"  and 
"  greens."  These  two  grades  give  the  grower  a  chance  to 
distribute  the  fruit  to  different  markets  and  have  them  all 
arrive  in  suitable  condition.  More  advanced  tomato- 
growers  make,  besides  these,  other  divisions,  as  "large 
ripes,"  "small  ripes,"  "large  greens,"  and  "small  greens." 
While  it  seems  like  a  great  deal  of  work  to  separate  the 
fruit  into  grades,  it  is  found  to  be  very  profitable.  The 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  191 

tomatoes  are  then  wrapped  in  different  kinds  of  paper  to 
suit  the  grower,  and  packed  in  carriers.  By  sorting  the 
fruit  into  various  sizes  or  grades,  one  will  be  able  better 
to  meet  the  desires  of  different  markets  and  the  different 
desires  of  the  same  market. 

Few  tomato-growers  pay  sufficient  attention  to  local  or 
near-by  markets,  so  it  may  happen  that  tomatoes  are 
being  shipped  to  New  York  at  a  loss,  when  near-by  towns 
and  cities  have  to  depend  on  northern  canned  goods. 

The  usual  tomato  crate  holds  about  twenty-four  quarts, 
and  should  be  made  of  first-grade  material;  no  pains 
should  be  spared  to  make  the  crate  and  the  material  in 
the  crate  look  as  attractive  as  possible.  The  better 
shippers  are  using  colored  designs  and  other  tasty  means  of 
distinguishing  their  products. 

Summer  and  fall  crop. 

In  preparing  for  the  fall  tomato  crop,  a  frame  should  be 
prepared,  as  for  the  spring  crop.  The  protecting  cloth  in 
this  case  is  used  for  an  entirely  different  purpose,  however. 
At  this  time  of  the  year  it  is  wanted  to  keep  off  the  sun  and 
to  keep  the  rain  out,  also  to  ward  off  such  insect  pests  as 
grasshoppers. 

All  the  watering  had  better  be  done  by  hand.  In  setting 
the  tomatoes  out,  care  should  be  taken  to  provide  for  them 
a  shelter  by  using  slats,  or  leaves  of  palms.  The  construc- 
tion of  a  slat  shade  for  a  field  is  discussed  on  page  57. 

Saving  tomato  seed. 

The  seed  that  is  offered  on  the  general  market  is  so  ex- 
cellent and  so  cheap  that  it  scarcely  seems  worth  while  to 


192  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

save  any ;  but  one  will  never  have  varieties  better  adapted 
to  his  own  conditions  until  there  is  some  seed-grower  who 
will  select  tomatoes  with  special  wants  in  view.  The  very 
best  plants  should  be  selected,  not  the  best  individual 
fruits,  from  the  variety  that  has  done  well,  and  these 
allowed  to  ripen  their  fruits.  These  may  then  be  gathered 
and  broken  into  pomace,  or  may  be  cut  and  the  seed, 
together  with  the  parts  that  contain  the  seed,  taken  out 
and  placed  in  a  barrel  to  macerate  for  a  day  or  so.  In 
the  meantime  it  should  be  stirred  several  times  to  make  the 
rotting  as  even  as  possible.  To  separate  the  seed  from  the 
pomace,  the  directions  given  under  eggplant  should  be 
followed. 

Canning. 

All  tomato-growing  districts  or  communities  should 
have  one  or  more  canning  factories  to  preserve  the 
surplus  as  well  as  the  fruit  that  becomes  too  ripe  for 
shipping  in  the  fresh  state.  The  greatest  difficulty 
seems  to  be  in  having  a  sufficient  amount  of  labor 
at  hand  to  carry  the  work  on  successfully.  In  tropi- 
cal and  subtropical  regions  many  other  vegetables  as 
well  as  fruits  might  be  grown  especially  for  canning 
purposes. 

In  several  places,  cooperative  canneries  have  been 
established  which  are  giving  returns  satisfactory  to  those 
interested.  Such  a  corporation  does  business  just  as  if  it 
were  a  private  enterprise.  The  advantage  in  this  plan  is 
that  many  are  working  for  a  common  cause.  The  ex- 
pense of  erecting  a  canning  factory  is  by  no  means  the 
most  important  consideration.  An  establishment  that 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  193 

would  cost  from  $500  to  $5000  would  be  able  to  do  the 
work  that  would  be  required  of  it  for  a  very  large  tomato- 
growing  district. 

The  operation  of  canning  is  simple,  yet  it  requires  an 
expert  to  do  the  work  well,  so  that  when  it  is  done 
the  material  will  not  degenerate  in  the  cans.  The  prin- 
ciple involved  is  simply  to  place  the  material  to  be  canned 
under  a  temperature  sufficient  to  kill  all  living  organisms 
contained  therein,  and  in  this  condition  it  is  sealed.  Under 
these  circumstances  there  can  be  no  degenerating,  no 
fermenting,  and  no  rotting. 

With  a  small  home  outfit,  costing  $10,  300  two-pound 
cans  may  be  put  up  each  day.  This  affords  a  good  method 
of  disposing  of  surplus  tomatoes. 

Enemies  of  the  tomato  in  Florida. 

Damping-off  may  occur  in  the  seed-beds,  the  seedlings 
being  cut  off  near  the  ground.  It  does  not  usually  happen 
unless  the  plants  are  too  close  together  and  too  damp. 
Spraying  the  soil  with  ammoniacal  copper  carbonate  is 
advantageous. 

Root-knot  often  starts  from  the  young  plants  in  the 
seed-beds.  It  may  be  combated  by  careful  choice  of 
seed-beds,  by  sowing  the  seeds  in  the  open  field,  and  by 
rotation. 

Cutworms,  which  attack  the  young  plants,  are  best 
destroyed  by  poisoned  bait. 

Rust  begins  as  brown  spots,  which  spread  over  the  leaves. 
It  can  be  prevented  by  spraying  the  plants  in  the  seed-bed 
with  bordeaux  mixture ;  and  when  found  in  the  field, 
several  sprayings  will  save  the  crop. 


194  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Fungus  blight  attacks  the  plant  from  the  soil.  The 
leaves  turn  yellow  and  die  from  below  upwards.  Rotation 
is  the  only  remedy. 

Sclerotium  blight  also  lives  in  the  soil,  and  the  first 
symptom  is  the  wilting  of  the  top  of  the  plant.  This 
disease  may  be  prevented  by  spraying  around  the  stem 
with  ammoniacal  copper  carbonate. 

Bacterial  blight  spreads  from  an  infected  leaf  and  soon 
kills  the  plant.  Infected  plants  should  be  immediately 
destroyed. 

White  mold  is  due  to  an  invisible  mite  and  can  be 
promptly  cured  by  spraying  with  sulfur  or  one  of  the  sulfur 
solutions. 

The  tomato  fruit-worm  may  be  controlled  by  destroying 
all  wormy  tomatoes ;  especially  by  destroying  those  that 
appear  during  the  time  when  the  earliest  tomatoes  are 
being  picked. 

Varieties  of  tomatoes. 

The  varieties  which  are  the  most  grown  for  the  market 
in  the  southern  states  and  the  West  Indies  are  Earliana, 
Beauty,  Stone,  Perfection,  and  Acme.  Perfection,  Match- 
less, Favorite,  and  Quarter  Century  have  given  good 
results  in  tests.  Success  has  been  grown  for  the  late 
summer  crop.  Ponderosa  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  large- 
fruited  kinds,  but  is  better  suited  for  private  gardens  than 
for  the  market.  Some  markets  prefer  red,  some  pink 
varieties.  The  yellow-fruited  sorts  are  not  of  much 
value.  For  canning,  a  medium  large  red  tomato,  that 
colors  well  right  through,  is  preferred,  if  it  is  smooth  and 
solid. 


PLATE  X.  —  EGGPLANTS  AND  PEPPERS. 

Top,  eggplant  plantation ;  center  left,  white  eggplant ;  center  right,  egg- 
plant ready  for  transplanting  to  the  field ;  bottom,  peppers  in  field. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  195 

Literature 

Livingston  and  the  Tomato,  Columbus,  Ohio,  1893,  pp.  172. 
Tomato  Culture  (in  Cuba),  Bulletin  4,  Estacion  central  agronomica 

de  Cuba,  1905. 

Tomatoes,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  220,  1905. 
Tomato  Diseases,  Fla.  Bulletin  91,  1907. 
Tomato  Culture,  by  W.  W.  Tracy,  New  York,  1907,  pp.  150. 

EGGPLANT 

The  eggplant  has  been  cultivated  by  the  natives  of 
India  for  thousands  of  years.  It  is  now  one  of  the  com- 
monest of  green  vegetables  in  almost  all  tropical  countries, 
especially  in  the  East  Indies. 

This  vegetable  is  a  money  crop  for  the  southern  United 
States ;  although  it  can  be  grown  in  gardens  of  the  North, 
it  does  not  flourish  so  well  there  since  the  seasons  are  short. 
The  greatest  obstacle  in  the  way  of  success  for  this  crop 
is  that  gardeners  rarely  supply  sufficient  fertilizer  to  the 
soil.  A  successful  grower  in  Florida  began  by  raising  ten 
acres,  but  did  not  make  a  profit  on  the  crop ;  he  then  re- 
duced his  acreage  to  five,  and  used  the  same  amount  of 
fertilizer  that  he  put  on  the  ten  acres.  Later,  he  again 
cut  down  the  acreage  to  two  and  one-half  acres,  but  kept 
the  amount  of  fertilizer  at  the  original  figure,  and  also 
bestowed  as  much  attention  on  the  two-and-one-half  as  he 
did  formerly  on  the  ten  acres.  The  two-and-one-half  acres 
then  gave  him  more  fruit  of  better  quality  and  better  size, 
than  the  original  ten  acres,  and  at  the  same  time  the  field 
became  more  profitable.  This  instance  illustrates  what 
has  been  insisted  upon  before,  that  one  should  resort  to 
intensive,  rather  than  extensive,  vegetable-growing. 


196  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Hotbeds  and  coldframes  for  eggplants. 

For  early  fruit,  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  subtropics, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  use  a  hotbed  and  later  a  coldframe. 
A  hotbed  properly  prepared  will  save  these  plants  through 
frosts  of  14°  F.  Of  course  such  extreme  cold  is  by  no  means 
healthful  to  the  plants,  but  they  may  be  saved  from  de- 
struction. For  eggplant  seedlings,  the  manure  is  placed 
in  the  hotbed  about  a  foot  thick,  and  banked  up  on  the 
outside  of  the  frame  to  the  rim.  Two  sheets  of  protecting 
cloth  are  used,  with  some  space  between  them ;  the  outer 
edges  are  covered  to  keep  the  wind  from  getting  under 
them.  During  cold  weather,  the  plants  will  make  very 
little  progress,  however,  but  the  gentle  bottom  heat  causes 
them  to  make  a  good  root  system. 

As  soon  as  all  danger  from  further  frosts  is  past,  the 
seedlings  may  be  thinned  out ;  and  if  any  empty  places 
occur,  these  may  be  filled  in  from  places  where  the  plants 
are  too  thick  in  the  row.  The  plants  should  have  about 
an  inch  space  in  the  row,  and  the  rows  should  be  about 
3  inches  apart.  As  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  crowd  one 
another,  they  should  be  transplanted  to  another  frame; 
this  time  each  plant  should  be  given  about  2  inches  in  the 
row,  the  rows  being  4  inches  apart.  Inexperienced  persons 
are  somewhat  timid  in  removing  eggplant  seedlings,  or 
transplanting  them,  because  they  fear  they  will  be  injured 
in  the  operation;  but  experience  has  taught  that  they 
may  be  removed,  or  re-set,  when  small,  without  any  dis- 
advantage to  the  plant.  The  time  to  sow  the  seed 
depends  upon  the  time  when  the  last  killing  frost  occurs 
in  the  section. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits.  197 

The  seed  may  be  sown  in  coldframes  in  warm  sections, 
but  the  plants  will  not  come  along  so  rapidly  as  they  would 
in  a  hotbed.  They  will,  however,  mature  much  earlier 
than  the  northern-grown  product,  and  consequently  be 
marketable  when  the  prices  are  still  very  good.  The  same 
precaution  as  for  hotbeds  should  be  observed  for  cold- 
frames.  In  regions  where  killing  frosts  are  not  likely  to 
occur,  the  seed-beds  should  be  established  about  the  first 
of  August  to  have  the  vegetable  about  the  first  of  January. 
The  treatment  of  a  seed-bed  is  similar  to  that  of  a  cold- 
frame.  The  young  plants  need  some  screening  to  protect 
them  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  summer  sun.  A  slat 
screen  or  a  covering  of  cheese-cloth  fixed  about  a  foot  above 
the  surface  of  the  bed  will  be  found  sufficient. 

Using  /lower-pots. 

Eggplant  seedlings  are  somewhat  sensitive  about  having 
their  roots  disturbed,  consequently  some  gardeners  have 
used  several  sizes  of  flower-pots  to  prevent  this  injury. 
For  this  operation  they  secure  paper  ones  of  various  sizes, 
beginning  usually  with  two-and-one-half  inch.  These 
cost  about  $2.50  a  thousand.  The  pots  are  filled  about 
four-fifths  full  of  potting  soil,  to  which  has  been  added  a 
liberal  supply  of  fertilizer.  Six  or  eight  seeds  are  dropped 
into  each,  and  the  pots  are  then  placed  in  the  hotbed  or  the 
coldframe.  Some  growers  plunge  the  pots  into  the  soil, 
while  others  do  not ;  the  former  way  requires  less  atten- 
tion, but  destroys  the  pots  in  one  year.  The  seedlings 
grow  in  these  pots  just  as  though  they  were  in  the  hotbed, 
but  from  time  to  time  the  gardener  should  examine  the 
plants  to  see  that  they  do  not  become  pot-bound,  or  do  not 


198  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

send  their  roots  through  the  bottom  of  the  pot.  As  soon 
as  either  of  these  occurs,  the  plants  are  shifted  to  a  larger- 
sized  pot,  which  is  usually  a  3-inch  one.  The  increased 
space  is  filled  up  with  soil  similar  to  that  formerly  used, 
and  the  pots  are  then  placed  where  the  other  size  stood; 
of  course  they  require  more  room.  As  soon  as  the  fer- 
tilizer in  the  3-inch  pots  has  been  fairly  well  appropriated 
by  the  plants,  they  are  transferred  to  a  larger  size,  say 
4-inch;  some  prefer  6-inch  pots.  The  treatment  in 
these  pots  is  similar  to  that  given  in  the  first.  It  should 
have  been  mentioned,  however,  that  before  shifting  the 
plants  from  the  smallest  pots  to  the  larger,  the  smaller 
plants  should  be  pinched  off,  leaving  one  plant  in  the  pot. 
Under  proper  manipulation,  plants  may  grow  to  bearing 
size  in  6-inch  pots,  but  this  is  not  profitable.  Plants 
should  not  be  removed  to  the  field  until  the  soil  is  warm 
and  all  danger  of  cold  spells  is  past,  as  the  seedlings  are 
very  sensitive.  (See  middle  figure,  Plate  X.) 

In  using  flower-pots  for  propagating  eggplants,  care 
must  be  taken  that  at  no  tune  do  the  plants  become 
checked  in  their  growth,  as  this  will  materially  reduce 
their  productive  powers.  There  are  two  points  always  to 
be  borne  in  mind :  first,  that  fresh  fertilizer  is  applied  as 
soon  as  the  earlier  supply  has  been  used ;  second,  plants 
should  not  become  pot-bound.  Under  proper  manipu- 
lation plants  may  be  grown  from  seed  in  3-inch  pots, 
from  which  marketable  fruit  can  be  obtained  in  sixty  days 
after  setting  out.  In  tropical  countries,  sections  of  bam- 
boo, and  the  so-called  "bamboo  flower-pots,"  are  used. 
The  seed  is  sown  in  them,  the  seedlings  thinned  to  one  in 
each,  and  the  pots  split  when  setting  out. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  199 

Soil  and  preparation. 

Eggplant  requires  good  rich  loam  that  is  very  deep.  It 
is  a  deep  feeder,  consequently  it  cannot  stand  moist  or 
soggy  land.  The  plowing  should  be  deep  and  thorough. 
Any  refuse  material  or  decaying  vegetable  matter  should 
be  removed  from  the  field. 

The  field  should  be  laid  off  in  rows  3  to  4  feet  apart,  and 
the  plants  set  from  2  to  4  feet  apart  in  the  row,  depending 
upon  the  variety  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  In  setting 
plants  in  the  field,  they  should  be  placed  an  inch  or  so 
below  the  level  at  which  they  stood  in  the  hotbed  or  cold- 
frame. 

Fertilizer  for  eggplants. 

The  fertilizer  should  be  made  up  of  the  following  in- 
gredients :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  5  per  cent ;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  1500  to  2500 
pounds  to  the  acre  of  this  formula.  This  plant  is  very 
sensitive  to  improper  use  of  fertilizer,  shedding  its  fruit 
or  failing  to  set  it  at  all  if  improperly  fertilized  or  set  in 
badly  prepared  soil.  Consequently,  there  are  many  cases 
of  failure,  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  tell  what  is  the  matter 
with  the  plant,  as  the  symptoms  of  many  ailments  are  so 
similar  that  they  cannot  be  distinguished.  A  successful 
way  of  applying  the  fertilizer  is  to  make  a  double  furrow 
where  the  row  is  to  be.  A  portion  of  the  fertilizer  should 
be  applied  down  the  row  and  a  part  of  the  soil  that  has 
been  thrown  out  mixed  in;  then  more  of  the  fertilizer 
applied  and  more  soil  worked  in.  This  should  be  con- 
tinued until  the  fertilizer  has  been  deposited  evenly 


200  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

throughout  the  entire  furrow.  If  the  plants  are  to  be  set 
in  checks  4  by  4  feet,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  fertilize  the 
ground  for  about  a  foot  on  each  side  of  the  plant.  In 
sandy  soils  or  sandy  loams,  a  portion  of  the  fertilizer  may 
be  withheld  until  the  first  fruits  are  about  an  inch  diameter. 
The  earlier  application  may  have  more  ammonia  than  the 
formula  calls  for.  One  half  of  it  should  be  in  a  quickly 
available  form.  The  later  application  should  about  follow 
the  above  formula.  In  case  the  plants  show  a  lack  of  vigor, 
much  good  can  be  done  by  making  a  separate  application 
of  nitrate  of  soda  or  nitrate  of  potash  at  the  rate  of  about 
a  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre. 

The  following  table  of  fertilizers  will  give  the  desired 
amounts  of  each  element  for  an  acre : 


Ammonia 


1000  to  1600  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
600  to  1000  dried  blood ;  or 
400  to    650  nitrate  of  soda;  or 
325  to    525  sulfate  of  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid     .       750  to  1200  acid  phosphate. 
1600  to  2000  kainit ;  or 


Potash 


275  to    450  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

275  to  450  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ; 

500  to  800  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 


Cultivation  of  eggplants. 

The  field  cultivation  of  eggplants  is  very  simple.  The 
soil  should  be  well  stirred.  The  cultivation  should  not 
be  carried  to  the  extent  of  tearing  the  roots,  however. 
Those  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  root  system  of 
this  plant  will  find  it  profitable  to  dig  into  the  soil  fre- 
quently and  find  out  how  near  the  top  and  how  far  the 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  201 

roots  extend.  During  rainy  weather,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  cultivate  the  field  deeply  as  often  as  twice  a  week. 
This  cannot,  of  course,  be  done  when  the  field  is  on  strong 
clay  soil.  During  dry  weather,  merely  stirring  the  upper 
stratum  to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  inches  every  week  or 
ten  days  will  be  sufficient. 

Gathering  eggplants. 

It  is  very  important  to  be  able  to  tell  just  when  the  fruit 
is  ready  for  market.  While  the  early  crop  brings  the  best 
price  usually,  the  fruit  is  liable  to  be  too  small  and  green 
for  the  market.  Fruit  that  is  too  ripe  is  worthless.  As 
soon  as  the  berry  turns  from  a  lustrous  purple  to  a  dull 
color,  you  may  suspect  that  the  shipping  stage  has  arrived. 
The  best  way  is  to  test  a  few  eggs  by  cutting  through  the 
center ;  if  the  seeds  are  well  formed,  the  time  for  gathering 
has  arrived.  They  should,  however,  not  be  allowed  to 
remain  on  the  plant  until  the  seed-coat  begins  to  harden. 
In  case  of  Black  Pekin  or  Improved  New  York  Purple, 
the  fruits  are  about  seven  inches  long.  The  fruit  should 
be  cut  with  a  stem  about  }  inch  long. 

Marketing. 

Eggplant  is  usually  marketed  in  barrel-crates  and  for 
distant  markets  each  fruit  is  wrapped  in  heavy  paper. 

Seed  saving. 

Eggplants  that  bear  exceptional  crops  of  good  fruit  may 
be  set  aside  for  choice  seed.  Considerable  time  elapses 
between  the  marketing  time  and  the  ripening  of  the  seed. 
Usually  the  fruits  intended  for  seed  may  be  left  on  the 


202  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

plants  until  they  are  fully  ripe,  but  this  is  not  necessary, 
as  the  seed  can  be  gathered  and  saved  for  planting  as 
soon  as  the  fruit  becomes  tough  and  fibrous.  The  fruits 
are  gathered  as  for  shipping,  and  taken  to  the  packing- 
house. Here  they  may  be  left  for  several  days,  or  for  a 
week  if  the  pile  is  not  too  large.  When  a  considerable  lot 
is  on  hand,  a  time  may  be  set  aside  for  taking  the  seed  out. 
By  examining  the  fruit  it  will  be  noticed  that  about  one- 
third  of  the  meat  may  be  cut  away  from  the  stem  without 
harming  the  seeds.  After  paring  this  away,  the  central 
part  is  quartered  with  a  dull  knife  and  sliced  thinly.  This 
material  is  put  in  a  barrel  for  maceration  in  water,  not 
having  the  barrel  more  than  two-thirds  full.  The  barrel 
should  be  set  out  of  the  hot  sun,  but  kept  in  some  warm 
place.  In  twenty-four  hours  it  should  be  stirred  up 
thoroughly,  so  as  to  have  all  parts  mixed  evenly.  The 
pomace  may  be  left  to  ferment  for  two  or  three  days, 
depending  upon  the  temperature  in  the  meantime.  A 
number  3  sieve  that  will  go  conveniently  into  the  inside 
of  the  barrel  should  be  secured.  A  half-barrel  is  filled 
with  water  and  the  sieve  placed  in  the  water,  but  not  on 
the  bottom  of  the  half-barrel.  The  sieve  may  be  held  in 
place  by  wires  stretched  across  the  half-barrel.  The 
seeds  are  dipped  out  of  the  barrel  and  put  into  the  sieve, 
working  the  pomace  around  so  as  to  break  it  into  small 
pieces.  Some  of  the  pomace  and  the  seed  will  go  through 
the  sieve  and  fall  to  the  bottom,  while  the  larger  pieces 
will  be  taken  out  and  thrown  away,  then  a  fresh  lot  will 
be  taken  from  the  barrel  and  the  work  continued  as  before 
until  three  or  four  inches  of  the  material  have  collected 
in  the  bottom  of  the  barrel.  This  may  be  turned  out  into 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  203 

a  barrel  and  a  sieve  of  number  6  mesh  used  for  the  second 
preparation.  The  meshes  of  this  sieve  are  just  large 
enough  to  let  all  the  seed  pass  through  and  screen  out  all 
the  pomace  that  is  left.  As  soon  as  all  the  seed  has  been 
worked  through  the  second  sieve,  it  may  be  placed  on  a 
third  sieve  with  number  12  wire  mesh.  This  sieve  per- 
mits all  fine  pomace  to  get  through  and  screens  out  all 
seed.  As  soon  as  a  large  quantity  has  collected  in  the  sieve 
it  may  be  put  aside  for  an  hour  or  so  to  drain,  then  spread 
out  on  canvas,  or  other  suitable  place  to  dry;  but  this 
should  not  be  done  in  the  hot  sun,  as  the  high  temperature 
is  liable  to  injure  its  vitality.  The  seed  should  be  dried 
as  quickly  as  possible,  as  there  is  danger  of  its  beginning 
to  sprout.  If  the  fruit  has  been  allowed  to  decay  or  the 
pomace  allowed  to  remain  in  the  barrel  too  long,  there 
is  danger  of  the  seed  germinating  during  this  time.  When 
the  seed  has  been  thoroughly  dried,  it  should  be  winnowed 
or  run  through  a  fanning  mill  to  get  rid  of  the  chaff. 
The  seed  is  tied  up  in  suitable  packages  and  placed  where 
they  are  safe  from  attacks  of  mice  and  roaches.  It  is 
preferable  to  tie  the  seed  in  parchment  paper  or  paraffin 
paper  to  keep  it  from  getting  moist.  In  this  way  seed 
may  be  kept  for  two  or  three  years  without  losing  its 
vitality. 

In  a  moist  tropical  climate  the  well-dried  seeds  may  be 
preserved  in  bottles  or  tins  sealed  with  paraffin,  and  kept 
dry  inside  by  a  lump  of  good  quicklime  wrapped  in  paper. 

Varieties  of  eggplants. 

The  early  varieties  are  not  usually  so  productive  as 
later  ones.  The  New  York  Improved  Spineless  will 


204  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

mature  several  weeks  later  than  the  Black  Pekin,  but 
the  latter  is  much  more  productive.  The  New  York 
Purple  and  Black  Pekin  are  excellent  varieties  for  shipping 
or  for  home  use,  but  the  New  York  Spineless  and  Early 
Long  Purple  mature  earlier.  (See  Plate  X.) 

The  New  Orleans  Market  is  a  variety  which  has  long 
been  grown  in  Louisiana  and  gives  good  results  in  the 
hotter  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  Florida  Highbush 
is  an  excellent  variety  as  it  carries  the  fruit  free  from  the 
soil,  —  an  important  consideration  in  a  moist  climate. 
The  white  eggplant  has  not  become  a  favorite  with  the 
market,  but  for  home  use  it  is  excellent,  as  its  flavor  is 
superior  to  that  of  the  colored  varieties. 

PEPPER 

The  "pepper"  grown  in  vegetable  gardens  is  the  fruit 
of  species  of  Capsicum;  they  are  sometimes  called 
"chillies,"  particularly  the  small,  very  pungent  kinds. 
The  fruits  are  also  known  as  "red  peppers"  and  "Cayenne 
peppers,"  to  distinguish  them  from  the  true  pepper  (of 
the  genus  Piper)  from  which  the  black  and  white  table 
pepper  of  commerce  is  made. 

The  red  peppers  were  among  the  vegetables  found  by 
Columbus  in  the  New  World  four  hundred  years  ago. 
They  are  now  cultivated  in  most  tropical  and  subtropical 
countries.  They  grow  well  in  the  warmest  parts  of  the 
earth.  Within  the  tropics  the  hot  peppers  especially  are 
used  as  seasoning,  while  the  large  sweet  peppers  are  pre- 
ferred as  vegetables  in  temperate  lands.  The  sweet 
peppers  are  sometimes  canned.  The  hot  peppers  are  used 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  205 

in  the  manufacture  of  chile  con  carne,  paprika,  curry 
powder,  tabasco  sauce,  and  cayenne  pepper ;  and  may  be 
readily  preserved  by  drying  in  the  sun. 

There  is  an  increasing  demand  for  peppers  during  the 
winter  months  in  the  United  States.  While  shipments  of 
large  size  cannot  be  disposed  of  very  well,  the  demand  in 
small  lots  is  often  above  the  supply.  Much  of  the  product 
for  the  northern  and  eastern  markets  has  come  in  the  past 
from  Bermuda,  the  Bahamas,  and  Cuba.  Peppers  are 
being  more  grown  now  in  the  southernmost  states. 

Hotbeds  and  coldframes  for  peppers. 

For  the  regions  in  which  freezing  weather  occurs,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  provide  hotbeds  to  grow  peppers,  but  where 
frosts  do  not  occur,  or  only  occasionally,  coldframes  will 
be  sufficient.  If  located  in  a  clay  country  the  soil  should  be 
composed  of  about  one-fourth  clay,  one-half  vegetable 
mold,  and  one-fourth  coarse  sand,  to  which  is  added  the 
necessary  fertilizer.  The  soil  of  the  hotbed  may  be  tested 
by  wetting  it  down  thoroughly;  if,  after  two  or  three 
hours,  the  soil  can  be  squeezed  into  a  more  or  less  solid 
mass,  there  is  not  enough  sand  and  too  much  clay  in  the 
mixture.  If,  however,  the  mass  does  not  remain  in  a  body 
but  breaks  up  readily,  the  soil  will  be  about  right.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  the  water  drains  off  immediately,  and 
the  soil  becomes  dry  to  the  depth  of  one-half  inch  in  the 
course  of  four  or  five  hours,  in  the  sunshine  or  a  gentle 
wind,  too  much  sand  has  been  used  and  a  little  more  clay 
should  be  introduced. 

The  rows  should  be  made  about  3  inches  apart,  and  the 
seeds  dropped  about  three  to  the  inch,  and  covered  to  the 


206  Subtropical  Vegetabk-Gardening 

depth  of  about  f  inch.  Before  the  seedlings  begin  to  be 
spindling,  they  should  be  transferred  to  another  bed, 
this  time  planting  the  seedlings  3  by  3  inches. 

A  successful  and  convenient  way  is  to  make  use  of  2^- 
inch,  3-inch,  and  4-inch  flower-pots  in  respective  order. 
When  these  flower-pots  are  used,  the  soil  should  be  the 
same  as  in  hotbeds  without  flower-pots. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  from  forty  to  sixty  days  before 
the  average  time  of  the  last  frost.  The  rapidity  with  which 
the  seedlings  come  along  will  depend  upon  the  amount  of 
sunshine  and  warm  weather,  and  also  upon  the  attention 
of  the  gardener ;  consequently  a  statement  as  to  the  time 
required  for  the  seedlings  to  grow  to  planting-out  size 
cannot  be  made  more  definitely.  In  frostless  countries 
the  seeds  are  sown  thinly  in  shaded  seed-beds,  and  the 
seedlings  thinned  out  before  setting  out.  Or  they  may 
be  sown  like  eggplants,  in  bamboo  pots.  About  eight 
weeks  should  be  allowed  from  the  time  of  sowing  to  the 
time  of  setting  out. 

Soil  and  preparation  for  the  pepper. 

A  warm  sandy  loam  that  retains  moisture  in  the  subsoil 
will  be  found  excellent.  In  preparing  land  for  peppers, 
care  should  be  taken  to  remove  all  decaying  matter  and 
rubbish  from  the  field.  The  rows  are  laid  off  2  or 
2|  feet  apart  and  the  plants  set  from  1  to  if  feet  distant 
in  the  row.  The  variation  in  the  distances  in  which 
they  are  planted  should  depend  on  the  conditions  of  the 
land  and  the  varieties  which  are  being  fruited.  The 
larger  or  sweet  kinds  require  more  room  than  the  small 
hot  ones. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  207 


Fertilizer  for  peppers. 

Ammonia,  5  per  cent,  available  phosphoric  acid,  5  per 
cent,  and  potash,  9  per  cent,  should  be  used  as  a  fertilizer, 
applying  750  to  1250  pounds  to  the  acre.  The  same  pre- 
cautions should  be  used  in  applying  the  material  as  directed 
for  eggplant. 

Cultivation  of  peppers. 

Cultivation  should  be  carried  on  thoroughly  and  deeply, 
but  never  to  the  extent  of  injuring  or  destroying  the 
roots  of  the  plants.  This  must  be  ascertained  by  observa- 
tion. An  easy  and  satisfactory  way  is  to  remove  the  soil 
from  beside  a  thrifty  plant  and  follow  the  roots  to  the  ends. 
Before  the  plants  have  reached  their  bearing  size,  it  is  well 
to  discontinue  the  deep  cultivation,  but  to  continue  the 
cultivation  of  the  upper  stratum  of  the  soil,  until  the  ship- 
ping season  is  over.  When  the  plants  are  no  longer 
wanted,  they  should  be  destroyed  at  once ;  especially 
should  this  be  done  if  another  crop  of  peppers  is  to  be 
grown  on  the  same  land  the  following  year.  (See  Plate  X.) 

Marketing. 

As  soon  as  the  large  varieties  have  reached  two  inches 
in  diameter,  they  are  usually  considered  ready  for  market- 
ing, but  one  must  be  guided  by  experience  in  the  matter. 
The  earliest  shipments  are  usually  the  most  remunerative. 

It  is  not  usually  necessary  to  wait  for  the  fruit  to  be- 
come slightly  wilted  before  packing,  but  sometimes  this 
may  be  done  to  advantage.  The  fruit  is  packed  in  the 


208  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

usual  vegetable  crate,  with  the  top  pressed  down  firmly,  to 
prevent  the  peppers  from  shaking  about. 

Saving  seed. 

Experiments  have  shown  that  selected  home-grown 
pepper  seed  may  be  better  in  the  South  than  that  grown 
farther  north,  hence  after  the  shipping  season  is  over, 
it  may  be  an  advantage  to  save  one's  own  seed,  or  to  sell 
it  to  neighbors.  The  matter  of  saving  seed  is  simple  and 
easy.  The  fruit  is  allowed  to  become  ripe,  then  picked, 
allowed  to  dry,  and  the  seed  removed.  It  will  be  neces- 
sary to  protect  this  from  mice,  rats,  or  other  vermin. 
Under  ordinary  circumstances  the  seeds  will  retain  their 
vitality  for  a  number  of  years. 

Varieties  of  peppers. 

Among  the  large  sweet  varieties  are  the  large  Bell,  or 
Bull  Nose,  and  the  County  Fair.  The  first-named  and 
those  that  grow  similarly  are  to  be  preferred  for  shipping 
purposes.  The  County  Fair  has  several  advantages, 
however,  for  home  use  and  the  local  market.  Among 
the  hot  varieties  is  the  Small  Chili.  The  Celestial  is 
also  excellent,  besides  being  highly  remunerative.  If 
one  desires  to  raise  hot  varieties  for  market,  Small  Chili 
Tabasco,  and  Bird's  eye  may  be  tried. 


PLATE  XI. —  CUCUMBER  HAMPERS;   AND  i 
TOR  VARIETY). 


PLANT  OF  ROSELLE  (Vic- 


CHAPTER  XV 

VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  FRUITS  — OTHER 
CROPS 

THERE  remain  other  edible-fruited  vegetables,  that  do 
not  classify  with  those  in  the  two  preceding  chapters, 
nor  do  they  classify  with  themselves.  For  convenience, 
they  may  be  placed  together  here.  Some  of  them,  as 
the  plantain,  papaya,  and  bread-fruit,  are  usually  classed 
as  fruits  rather  than  as  vegetables,  but  many  readers  will 
expect  to  find  them  here. 

ROSELLE 

The  roselle,  or  Jamaica  sorrel  (Hibiscus  Sabdariffa),  is 
a  tropical  plant  producing  its  fruit  in  the  cool  season  and 
then  perishing.  As  it  will  stand  drought,  it  may  be 
cultivated  throughout  the  tropics  and  subtropics  during 
the  hot  and  rainy  seasons.  It  is  killed  by  a  slight  frost, 
and  can  be  grown  with  profit  only  where  there  are  no 
frosts  during  its  time  of  fruiting,  which,  in  Florida,  is 
usually  between  November  and  December. 

In  regions  like  Florida,  where  neither  the  red  currant 
nor  the  cranberry  grow,  the  roselle  offers  a  palatable  sub- 
stitute for  the  acid  jellies  or  jams  made  from  these  two 
fruits.  Its  products  are  regarded,  by  those  who  have 
P  209 


210  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

employed  them,  as  nearly  or  quite  equal  to  the  currant 
or  cranberry  preserves  of  more  northern  regions.  It  is 
not  an  unusual  occurrence  for  visitors  in  Florida  to  mistake 
roselle  fruits,  when  prepared  for  the  table,  for  cranberries. 
This  plant  has  long  been  grown  for  similar  purposes  in 
India,  Egypt,  and  other  hot  eastern  countries. 

Propagation. 

The  roselle  is  regularly  propagated  by  seeds,  but  it  can 
be  readily  grown  from  cuttings.  To  secure  the  best  re- 
sults, the  seed  should  be  carefully  selected  from  the  earliest 
ripening  bolls,  growing  on  the  most  prolific  plants.  As  a 
whole,  the  plants  are  rather  more  vigorous  than  need  be ; 
consequently,  no  attention  need  be  paid  in  the  direction  of 
vigor. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  in  a  hard  seed-bed,  such  as  is 
prepared  for  eggplants,  tomatoes,  or  peppers.  The 
month  of  April  is  found  to  be  the  most  favorable  for  the 
larger  part  of  Florida.  The  seeds  are  sown  in  drills  about 
6  inches  apart,  dropping  enough  seed  so  that  the  plants 
may  be  thinned  out  to  an  inch  apart  in  the  drill.  The 
thinning  out  should  be  done  as  soon  as  the  plants  begin 
crowding  one  another.  By  the  first  of  July  they  will  be 
large  enough  to  set  out  in  the  field.  At  this  time  abundant 
rains  may  be  expected,  and  thus  one  avoids  the  necessity 
of  having  to  water  the  plants,  excepting  at  the  time  of 
setting  out. 

If  the  seed  is  sown  early  in  the  year,  the  plants  grow 
much  more  vigorously  and  produce  a  larger  stalk  than 
with  late  sowing.  It  is  a  question,  however,  whether 
the  increase  in  size  of  stalk  produces  an  increase 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  211 

in  the  quantity  of  roselle  that  is  produced  in  the  field 
as  a  whole. 

Cultivation  of  roselle. 

A  sandy  loam  suits  roselle  best.  The  fields  are  pre- 
pared just  as  in  the  case  of  eggplants,  tomatoes,  or  peppers. 
The  rows  are  laid  off  about  4  feet  apart.  The  fertilizer 
should  be  spread  down  the  row,  having  the  field  in 
thorough  tilth  and  cultivation  before  setting  out  the 
plants. 

No  definite  experiments  have  been  made  to  show  the 
exact  fertilizer  needs  of  this  crop.  Heavy  crops  have  been 
produced  by  the  use  of  ordinary  vegetable  fertilizers. 
It  is  quite  probable,  therefore,  that  the  formula  ordinarily 
used  for  vegetables  will  be  found  approximately  correct. 
The  amount  used  to  the  acre  should  be  about  one-half 
or  one-fourth  of  what  is  ordinarily  used.  If  the  quantity 
ordinarily  used  for  vegetables  be  applied,  the  plants  grow 
exceedingly  rank  and  are  apt  to  shed  many  of  the  early 
bolls. 

The  plants  are  set  18  inches  or  2  feet  apart  in  the  row. 
The  cultivation  is  carried  on  just  as  for  garden  or  other 
vegetable  crops.  By  plowing  the  field  frequently  and 
close  to  the  plants,  all  necessity  for  hoeing  is  avoided.  If, 
however,  the  field  happens  to  be  unusually  foul,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  hoe  between  the  plants.  As  soon  as  the 
plants  have  reached  a  size  of  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet 
in  height,  the  abundant  leafage  will  shade  the  ground 
so  completely  that  no  more  hoeing  will  be  needed.  Four 
or  five  plowings  in  ordinary  good  vegetable  land  will  be 
found  sufficient  cultivation. 


212  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Gathering. 

The  fruits  should  be  gathered  before  any  woody  matter 
forms  in  the  pods,  or  in  the  calyxes.  This  can  usually  be 
determined  by  breaking  them  open  by  hand.  If  any 
woody  fibers  have  formed,  a  certain  amount  of  stringiness 
will  be  observed.  The  bolls  with  stringy  fibres  running 
through  them  have  matured  too  far. 

Crops  that  are  grown  under  good  cultural  conditions  may 
be  picked  without  the  use  of  a  knife.  The  bolls  will  be 
tender,  crisp,  and  plump,  and  by  taking  hold  of  the  boll 
with  the  fingers  and  thumb  and  giving  it  a  sharp  kink 
just  below,  the  stalk  will  break.  This  characteristic 
may  also  be  used  as  an  index  of  the  ripeness.  If  the  bolls 
fail  to  break  off  readily,  they  have  matured  too  far. 
It  will  be  found  that  they  break  off  more  readily  in  the 
morning  than  towards  night. 

Shipping  roselle. 

For  shipping  purposes,  the  bolls  should  be  gathered 
just  as  for  home  use.  Care  should  be  taken  to  keep  them 
free  from  leaves  and  other  trashy  material  that  may 
get  mixed  in.  By  handling  the  bolls  carefully,  they  may 
be  dropped  as  picked  into  a  container,  such  as  an  eight  to 
ten-quart  pail.  For  shipping  purposes,  the  six-carrier 
tomato  crate  has  been  used.  Before  putting  the  bolls 
in,  paper  wraps  are  placed  in  the  carrier  so  as  to  prevent 
the  bolls  from  coming  in  contact  with  it,  and  also  to  give 
a  wide  enough  lap  to  cover  them  completely  after  the 
carrier  has  been  filled.  This  protects  them  from  injury 
by  rubbing  against  the  wood  in  transit,  and  also  from 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  213 

spilling  out  of  the  carrier.  Each  carrier  should  be  filled 
so  as  to  require  only  a  slight  pressure  on  the  lid  of  the 
box  at  the  time  of  nailing  up.  In  this  way  roselle  was 
shipped  from  Florida  to  Washington.  After  reaching  its 
destination  it  was  found  to  be  in  excellent  condition  for 
making  retail  sales  in  that  city.  Roselle,  when  carefully 
packed,  may  be  sent  by  express  from  Florida  to  any  point 
east  of  the  Mississippi  river. 

Productivity. 

At  one  of  the  trials  in  California,  three  pounds  of  fruit 
of  roselle  are  said  to  have  been  produced  by  each  plant. 
It  has  been  stated  that  a  quarter  of  a  bushel  to  a  plant  can 
well  be  counted  on  in  south  Florida.  The  yield  in  Porto 
Rico  was  estimated  at  four  pounds  of  fruit  to  a  plant, 
and  at  double  this  amount  in  good  sandy  loam.  Sixteen 
pounds  to  a  plant  have  been  gathered  in  south  Florida. 

Uses  of  roselle. 

The  part  used  as  a  fruit  consists  of  the  red,  juicy,  swollen 
calyx  and  involucel.  This  may  contain  about  87  per  cent 
of  water,  nearly  3  per  cent  of  acids,  and  only  1  per  cent 
or  less  of  sugars.  The  acids  are  said  to  consist  of  malic 
and  tartaric,  with  no  citric.  A  cooling  summer  drink 
is  made  from  an  infusion  of  the  fruits  of  the  roselle,  its 
natural  bright-red  color  giving  it  an  attractive  appearance. 
This  drink  is  bottled  in  the  West  Indies.  It  keeps  well  if 
no  sugar  is  added,  and  if  the  bottles  are  sterilized  by  heat, 
and  sealed  while  hot.  The  abundant  acid,  the  bright 
cherry-red  color,  together  with  a  plentiful  supply  of 
pectins,  render  this  plant  a  good  jelly-maker.  Roselle 


214  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

jelly  is  nearly  or  quite  as  good  as  red  currant  or  cranberry 
jellies.  The  fruits  are  at  their  best  soon  after  the  flower 
has  fallen.  It  is  preferable  to  remove  the  capsules  when 
making  roselle  sauce,  jam,  or  marmalade.  For  jelly,  only 
three-fourths  of  a  pound  of  sugar  is  needed  to  a  pint  of  the 
juice  got  by  cooking  and  straining  the  fruits.  To  make 
roselle  jam  or  marmalade,  the  calyxes  are  cooked  in 
strong  sirup. 

The  fruits  of  this  hibiscus  may  be  used  for  making  jelly, 
even  after  the  seed  has  ripened  in  the  capsules.  The 
fruits  may  also  be  dried  without  losing  their  acidity  or 
their  capacity  for  jelly-making.  The  young,  tender 
shoots  may  be  used  for  greens  and  for  jelly-making. 

Diseases. 

The  roselle  plants  in  Florida  are  usually  attacked  late 
in  the  year  by  a  mildew  which  destroys  the  leaves.  Dry 
sulfur  dusted  over  the  plants  has  been  found  a  good  pre- 
ventive. 

Varieties  of  roselle. 

In  India  and  the  West  Indies  a  yellowish  variety, 
without  the  bright  red  of  the  calyx,  is  sometimes  met 
with.  This  yields  a  greenish-yellow  jelly,  or  marmalade ; 
but  it  does  not  seem  desirable.  In  south  Florida  there  has 
arisen  a  variety  of  roselle,  Victor,  that  produces  much 
larger  bolls  than  that  usually  grown.  The  plants  are 
smaller  and  more  prolific  than  the  common  kind.  (See 
Plate  XI.) 

Bulletin. 

Roselle;  its  Culture  &  Uses,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  307. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  215 


OKRA 

This  tropical  annual  or  biennial  (also  called  gumbo) 
is  cultivated  in  most  tropical  and  subtropical  countries, 
where  it  often  furnishes  a  welcome  green  vegetable  when 
no  other  can  be  obtained.  Like  the  roselle,  to  which  it  is 
related,  it  stands  drought  well,  and  hence  suits  the  native 
or  negro  inhabitants  of  the  tropics,  who  prefer  vegetables 
which  give  them  no  trouble  to  raise.  Its  desirable  qualities 
lie  in  the  mucilaginous  pods.  The  taste  for  this  vegetable 
is  more  or  less  an  acquired  one,  however;  when  used  in 
small  quantities  in  soups,  only  a  few  persons  object  to  it. 
Besides  its  use  in  soup,  it  may  be  pickled,  and  also  cooked 
as  a  dish  by  itself. 

Any  good  agricultural  land  will  produce  okra.  Like 
cotton,  it  is  partial  to  a  warm  sandy  loam.  To  produce 
okra  for  shipping  purposes,  a  warm  sandy  loam  should  be 
chosen,  and  highly  fertilized,  unless  it  is  already  rich. 
When  grown  on  poor  soil,  okra  is  stringy  and  wanting  in 
mucilage.  The  land  should  be  prepared  thoroughly  and 
deeply.  The  roots  of  this  plant  descend  below  any 
ordinary  plowing,  so  that  it  can  stand  an  unusual  drought 
without  apparently  suffering. 

The  rows  should  be  made  1\  or  3  feet  apart,  and  a  seed 
dropped  about  every  3  inches.  The  seed  is  planted  an  inch 
deep.  When  the  plants  are  about  6  inches  high,  they 
should  be  thinned  to  a  foot  in  the  row  for  dwarf  varieties, 
and  to  about  1^  feet  for  the  half  dwarf  varieties.  If  the 
large  varieties  are  planted,  the  rows  may  be  made  4  feet 
apart  and  the  plants  thinned  out  to  2  feet  in  the  row. 

The  cultivation  should  be  deep  and  thorough.    The 


216  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

plants  are  so  strong  that  there  is  rarely  any  occasion  for  the 
use  of  a  hoe,  since  the  work  may  be  done  with  a  plow. 

In  gathering  okra  for  a  distant  market,  the  stems  are 
cut  close  to  the  pod.  Okra  is  shipped  in  an  ordinary  vege- 
table crate,  and  packed  down  firmly,  so  that  the  product 
will  not  shake  about  on  the  way.  There  is  little  demand 
for  this  vegetable  in  the  markets  of  the  Northwest,  so  it 
must  be  shipped  to  some  neighboring  market  or  to  the  East. 

The  seed  is  easily  saved.  When  the  pods  are  ripe,  they 
should  be  removed  from  the  plant.  They  will  break 
easily,  and  the  seed  comes  out  readily. 

The  taller-growing  varieties  of  okra  are  not  so  profitable 
nor  so  desirable  as  the  smaller  or  dwarf.  Little  Gem  and 
White  Velvet  are  among  the  favorite  dwarf  varieties.  Im- 
proved Green  is  a  good  medium-sized  variety. 

Bulletin. 

Okra :  Its  Culture  &  Uses,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  232. 

PLANTAIN 

Plantains  are  those  varieties  of  banana  that  are  not 
suited  for  eating  raw,  but  require  to  be  cooked.  It  is 
difficult  to  tell  the  difference  between  the  many  varieties 
of  plantain  and  banana  before  the  fruit  appears.  The 
common  plantain  has  fewer  and  larger  fruits,  more  loosely 
set  in  the  bunch,  and  more  three-angled  than  the  common 
bananas.  It  is  an  important  tropical  vegetable.  Boiled 
or  baked  green  plantains,  or  fried  ripe  plantains,  are  com- 
mon table  vegetables  throughout  the  West  and  East 
Indies. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  217 

It  is  decidedly  worth  growing  in  all  tropical  (and  some 
subtropical)  gardens,  and  with  proper  care  in  choosing  the 
suckers  to  be  allowed  to  fruit,  a  supply  may  be  procured 
from  a  small  field  throughout  the  year.  It  is  propagated 
exclusively  by  suckers,  which  are  produced  in  abundance. 
A  length  of  about  two  feet  is  usually  best  for  the  sucker, 
which  is  cut  off  from  the  parent  plant  beneath  the  soil. 
Some  of  the  leaves  may  be  removed,  and  the  suckers 
planted  out,  15  feet  or  more  apart.  The  soil  should  con- 
tain much  humus.  In  the  trade-wind  belts,  a  wind-break 
of  dense  trees,  such  as  mangoes,  on  the  east  of  the  plan- 
tains, is  of  use.  Irrigation  during  dry  weather  is  very 
beneficial.  In  the  absence  of  irrigation,  the  beginning 
of  the  rainy  season  is  the  best  time  to  set  out  suckers. 
They  will  produce  their  first  bunch  in  a  year  or  less,  and 
then  there  will  be  almost  continuous  fruiting  from  new 
suckers.  Some  of  these  should  be  cut  out,  and  by  doing 
this  with  proper  judgment,  bunches  of  plantains  may  be 
obtained  in  quantity  at  almost  any  desired  season  of  the 
year.  The  field  will  not  need  replanting  for  several  years, 
but  will  require  manuring. 

The  plantain  can  doubtless  be  grown  to  advantage  in 
regions  where  the  winter  temperature,  as  a  rule,  does  not 
go  below  32°  F.,  but  if  cut  down  by  frost  every  year,  it 
will  hardly  pay  to  grow  it,  though  some  fruit  might  be  ob- 
tained. 

PAPAYA 

The  papaya,  or  melon  papaw,  is  a  cultivated. plant  of 
the  American  tropics,  which  has  been  spread  throughout 
the  tropical  belt.  Almost  wherever  it  is  grown,  the  young 


218  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

green  fruits  are  cooked  as  a  vegetable,  and  much  resemble 
summer  squashes.  Since  the  tree  sets  a  larger  amount  of 
fruit  than  it  can  properly  carry  to  maturity,  this  removal 
of  many  young  fruits  allows  those  which  remain  to  in- 
crease greatly  in  size.  The  unripe  papayas  thus  furnish 
an  agreeable  vegetable  when  properly  cooked  and  seasoned, 
and  one  which  can  be  procured  at  almost  any  time  of  the 
year ;  whereas  squashes  cannot  be  raised  in  the  hot  season, 
and  are  not  much  grown  even  in  the  cool  season  between 
the  tropics.  The  fruits  are  peeled  and  cut  into  pieces, 
after  the  removal  of  the  seeds.  They  are  usually  soaked 
for  some  hours  in  cold  water  to  extract  the  rather  acrid 
latex,  and  then  boiled  until  soft.  If  they  are  cooked  with 
tough  meat  of  any  kind,  they  soften  it  remarkably.  Since 
the  meat  in  tropical  countries  must,  in  the  absence  of  an 
ice-house,  be  eaten  the  same  day  that  it  is  killed,  this 
digestive  property  of  the  papaya  is  of  decided  value. 
The  green  fruits  cooked  with  sugar  make  excellent  pre- 
serves. 

Papayas  are  grown  only  from  seeds,  of  which  each  fruit 
produces  a  large  number.  The  seeds  germinate  easily 
and  rapidly.  The  plants  should  be  set  out  when  they  are 
about  6  inches  high,  in  a  well-drained  soil,  at  distances 
of  10  feet  or  more. 

The  tree  may  be  grafted  by  inarching,  and  cuttings  may 
be  rooted,  but  these  processes  are  slow  and  require  so 
much  attention  that  neither  has  come  into  practice. 
Budding  may  also  be  successfully  employed.  For  this 
purpose  a  plant  two  feet  or  more  tall  should  be  selected, 
the  top  cut  off  in  the  tender  portion,  split  as  for  cleft 
grafting ;  and  a  wedge-shaped  bud  two  to  four  inches  long 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  219 

inserted.  This  should  be  tied  firmly  and  in  a  week  to 
ten  days  a  union  will  have  been  made.  The  bud  may 
be  shielded  against  sun  and  rain  until  the  union  is  made. 

Papayas  are  benefited  by  irrigation  during  the  dry 
season.  About  half  the  trees  will  bear  staminate  or 
barren  flowers  only,  and  nearly  all  such  trees  (which  may 
be  recognized  by  the  long  thin  sprays  of  tubular  flowers), 
should  be  cut  out  as  soon  as  noted.  The  fruiting  plants 
are  distinguished  by  bearing  their  flowers  mostly  in  clusters 
of  three.  One  or  two  staminate  trees  to  the  plantation 
will  insure  sufficient  pollination  of  the  flowers  on  the  pistil- 
late trees.  The  papaya  very  seldom  branches  at  all. 
It  may  bear  sixty  or  more  large  fruits  each  year.  When 
grown  for  the  ripe  fruit,  the  long-fruited  or  the  cantaloupe- 
shaped  varieties  are  much  better  than  the  common  oval 
form.  The  first  fruits  usually  appear  in  less  than  a  year, 
and  the  tree  will  continue  bearing  for  several  years. 
The  papaya  will  only  endure  a  very  light  frost.  Hence  it  is 
adapted  only  to  countries  where  freezing  weather  rarely 
occurs,  though  it  can  be  grown  farther  north  if  protected 
during  the  winter.  The  potent  digestive  properties  of  its 
ripe  fruit  render  its  best  varieties  important  members  of 
tropical  or  subtropical  gardens.  The  digestible  ferment 
(papain)  is  destroyed  by  heating  to  the  boiling  point, 
and  hence  would  not  be  present  in  cooked  fruit. 

A  space  8  by  8  feet  is  usually  sufficient  for  a  thrifty 
plant.  The  older  ones  usually  become  less  productive; 
it  is  therefore  advisable  to  start  with  fresh  plants  every 
three  or  four  years.  The  small  seedlings  transplant  with 
more  or  less  difficulty,  but  after  the  stem  has  become 
woody  and  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  no  difficulty  is 


220  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

experienced  in  transplanting  during  the  rainy  season. 
The  seed  from  the  best  fruits  only  should  be  sown.  These 
may  be  sown  in  rows  several  feet  apart  and  several  inches 
apart  in  the  row. 

BREAD-FRUIT 

The  seedless  variety  of  this  tree  of  the  Pacific  Islands 
would  seem  to  provide  a  vegetable  which,  in  all  but  one 
particular,  fulfills  the  ideal  of  the  ordinary  tropical  native  ; 
that  is,  to  have  a  food  plant  which  only  requires  the  two 
operations  of  planting  and  gathering.  Unfortunately, 
however,  for  the  inactive  basker  in  the  sun,  the  bread-fruit 
yields  its  crop  only  in  the  late  summer  and  early  fall,  and 
its  fruits  cannot  readily  be  kept  through  the  remainder 
of  the  year,  although  in  some  islands  they  are  sliced  and 
dried  over  the  fire  to  be  stored  like  biscuits. 

The  value  of  the  bread-fruit  has  been  over-rated.  No 
wonder  that  when  the  adventurous  English  captain  first 
came  to  Hawaii  he  should  admire  a  vegetable  which  kept 
alive  a  swarming  native  population,  and  afforded  him 
and  his  seamen  an  agreeable  change  from  the  wormy  ship- 
biscuit  of  those  old  times !  Although  the  bread-fruit 
might  keep  savage  tribes  from  starvation,  yet  when 
it  was  introduced  into  the  West  Indies,  and  extensively 
propagated  there,  it  was  not  found  to  be  as  digestible  and 
nourishing  as  food  which,  like  yams,  cassava,  or  sweet 
potatoes,  requires  more  labor  to  raise.  Nevertheless 
the  bread-fruit  on  the  very  numerous  trees  in  the  Lesser 
Antilles  appears  to  be  appreciated  by  the  negroes,  for  it 
is  difficult  to  find  one  fruit  left  to  ripen  out  of  the  abun- 
dant crops  produced  each  year.  Sliced  boiled  bread-fruit 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Fruits  221 

appears  as  a  vegetable  at  times  on  the  tables  of  Europeans 
in  the  tropics,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  be  particularly  in 
favor.  Its  taste  is  rather  agreeable,  and  it  is  either  baked 
whole,  or  cut  up  and  boiled  or  fried. 

The  bread-fruit  is  usually  picked  while  still  green.  It 
is  about  the  size  of  a  muskmelon,  but  solid  throughout, 
without  seeds,  and  with  a  slight  core  in  the  middle.  It  is 
increased  by  planting  large  root-suckers.  Like  the  coco- 
nut, it  is  a  strictly  tropical  plant,  and  seems  to  flourish 
best  near  the  sea.  It  does  not  seem  worth  planting,  except 
as  a  curiosity,  where  potatoes  and  fresh  bread  can  be 
secured  easily. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
VEGETABLES  WITH  EDIBLE  SEEDS 

THE  edible-seeded  vegetables  include  mainly  legumi- 
nous plants,  such  as  peas  and  beans.  Of  all  ordinary 
vegetables,  these  supply  the  most  concentrated  form  of 
food,  especially  of  protein  food. 


PEA 

Garden  or  English  peas  are  generally  cultivated  in  the 
warmer  regions  for  winter  and  early  spring  market.  They 
form  a  staple  crop,  which  requires  little  attention,  and  so 
is  a  favorite  with  many  vegetable-growers.  This  crop  will 
stand  a  light  frost  and  grow  even  in  very  cold  weather. 
A  temperature  of  24°  F.  will  injure  open  flowers  and  pods, 
but  will  not  hurt  the  vines  unless  in  an  actively  growing 
state. 

Peas  may  be  grown  in  the  cool  season  between  the  tropics 
outside  the  equatorial  belt.  They  usually  require  a  fair 
supply  of  nitrogenous  manure,  such  as  nitrate  of  soda  or 
nitrate  of  potash,  since  the  nitrogen-gathering  bacteria 
peculiar  to  the  pea  plant  are  not  usually  present  in  such 
soils.  It  would  be  advisable  in  many  localities  to  use  a 
slat  shed.  In  India  acclimated  seed  is  preferred  for  the 
hotter  regions. 

222 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  223 

Soil  and  cultivation. 

A  light  warm  soil  is  very  desirable  for  winter  crops  of 
peas.  The  land  should  be  well  prepared,  though  not 
deeply,  about  the  last  of  October  or  in  November;  and 
the  fertilizer  scattered  along  the  row  and  mixed  with  the 
soil.  If  one  uses  a  seed-drill,  a  row  should  be  made  up  of 
three  or  four  drills  about  2  or  more  inches  apart.  This 
will  give  the  plants  a  chance  to  hold  to  and  support  one 
another.  The  ordinary  practice  is  to  make  a  row  about  6 
inches  wide,  by  scattering  the  seeds  along  a  furrow,  and 
covering  about  an  inch  deep.  The  rows  may  be  20 
inches  or  more  apart. 

Cultivation  is  needed  to  get  air  into  the  soil  and  to  con- 
serve the  moisture.  During  cultivation  the  soil  should 
be  gradually  worked  up  to  the  row  so  as  to  leave  the 
plants  hilled  up  at  the  last. 

Fertilizer  for  peas. 

The  best  fertilizer  formula  for  peas  is :  ammonia,  f  per 
cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid,  7  per  cent ;  potash,  7  per 
cent.  Use  600  to  1000  pounds  to  the  acre. 

For  this  crop  it  will  be  found  desirable  to  use  mineral 
fertilizer  rather  than  compost.  If  nitrate  of  soda  is  used, 
it  will  require  two  applications  —  one  at  the  time  of  sowing, 
and  the  second  just  as  the  first  flower-buds  begin  to  show. 
Cottonseed  meal  can  be  used  as  a  source  of  nitrogen 
before  planting,  as  a  part  of  a  compost  fertilizer.  Nitrate 
of  soda  will  cause  the  vines  to  make  a  vigorous  growth,  so 
it  should  not  be  applied  when  a  frost  is  looked  for. 

The  following  amounts  of  fertilizing  materials  may  be 


224  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

used  to  obtain  the  amounts  of  each  of  the  fertilizer  ele- 
ments called  for  in  the  formula : 


Ammonia 


'POUNDS  TO  THE  ACHE 

300  to  500  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
180  to  300  dried  blood;  or 
120  to  200  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 
100  to  150  sulfate  of  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid  .    .    .    420  to  700  acid  phosphate. 

500  to  900  of  kainit ;  or 
p       ,  80  to  140  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

90  to  150  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;  or 
160  to  240  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

Enemies. 

The  pea  weevil  which  attacks  the  young  peas  in  the 
pod  can  be  killed  in  the  dry  seed  by  the  use  of  carbon 
bisulfide. 

The  powdery  mildew,  which  spreads  over  late  pea  vines, 
can  be  checked  entirely  by  bordeaux  mixture,  and  probably 
by  the  use  of  sulfur. 

Varieties  of  peas. 

The  garden  peas  may  be  divided  into  those  with  round 
seed,  with  wrinkled  seed,  and  with  edible  pods.  Those 
with  wrinkled  seed  are  better,  but  they  are  not  so  hardy  as 
the  round-seeded  varieties.  The  sugar  peas  with  edible 
pods  are  worth  growing  in  the  garden. 

For  shipping  purposes,  the  dwarf  varieties  should  be 
chosen.  American  Wonder  and  Blue  Beauty  do  well. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  225 

McNeil  is  a  local  variety  grown  extensively  in  Florida. 
The  large  number  of  varieties  offered  for  sale  often  leads 
to  confusion,  but  those  named  above  may  be  regarded  as 
trustworthy. 

For  home  use,  it  is  often  desirable  to  sow  the  tall-growing 
varieties ;  these  are  later  but  usually  more  prolific.  Tele- 
phone, Marrowfat,  and  Champion  of  England  have  been 
recommended.  The  land  is  prepared  in  the  same  way  as 
for  the  dwarf  varieties.  If  it  becomes  necessary  to  plant 
peas  in  a  body  —  that  is,  to  plant  more  than  two  rows 
alongside  of  one  another  —  alternate  rows  should  be 
farther  apart,  so  as  to  have  them  by  twos.  When  the 
peas  have  reached  a  height  of  10  to  14  inches,  it 
will  be  time  to  stake  them.  The  two  near  rows  should 
be  staked  so  that  they  will  mat  together,  leaving  an 
abundance  of  space  to  pass  between  the  alternate  rows. 
As  nearly  all  the  peas  will  form  on  the  outside  or  towards 
the  light,  the  picking  will  be  easy. 

BEAN 

The  common  snap  or  green  shell  beans  are  also  known  as 
kidney  or  haricot  beans.  There  are  over  180  distinct 
varieties  in  the  United  States.  These  beans  grow  well  in 
spring  or  fall  in  subtropical  climates  and  can  be  grown 
during  the  cool  season  in  tropical  lands,  especially  if  shaded 
(as  by  a  slat  shed).  They  are  not  quite  so  tolerant  of  heat 
as  the  lima  bean. 

Seedsmen  divide  beans  into  two  classes  —  the  bush 
beans  and  the  pole  beans.  These  classes  require  different 
treatment. 


226  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


1.  BUSH  BEANS 

Bush  beans  are  the  kind  used  for  shipping  purposes,  as 
string-beans,  snap-beans,  or  snaps.  In  some  sections  of 
the  South  the  growing  of  snap-beans  is  a  lucrative  class 
of  gardening.  All  beans  are  tender  and  sensitive  to  cold, 
even  when  it  is  not  severe  enough  to  freeze.  Some 
peculiarly  protected  situations  on  the  east  coast  of  Florida 
are  so  favorably  located  for  growing  this  crop  for  early 
spring  markets  that  the  lands  bring  an  annual  rental  of 
$20  to  $100  an  acre  and  are  valued  correspondingly  high, 
while  only  a  score  of  miles  distant  equally  good  land  not 
protected  from  the  frosts  is  not  worth  possessing.  Only 
those  parts  of  the  South  that  are  free  from  frosts  and  long 
cold  spells  can  grow  beans  for  midwinter  market ;  in  other 
parts,  late  fall  and  early  spring  crops  pay  well. 

Soil  for  bush  beans. 

For  the  early  winter  crop  a  light  sandy  soil  is  most 
valuable,  while  for  a  fall  crop  a  heavier  soil  may  be  used  to 
advantage.  The  land  should  be  prepared  moderately 
deep,  and  need  not  be  in  a  high  state  of  tilth.  Any  de- 
caying vegetable  matter  that  happens  to  be  on  the  field 
may  be  left  there. 

Fertilizer. 

The  proportion  of  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  as 
follows :  ammonia,  3^  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid, 
7  per  cent;  potash,  7  per  cent.  On  poor  land,  1000  to 
1500  pounds  of  the  above  formula  should  be  used  to  the 
acre.  If  the  land  is  rich  in  vegetable  matter,  the  ammonia 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  227 

may  be  omitted.  While  beans  are  able  to  assimilate  at- 
mospheric nitrogen  when  they  have  grown  to  a  certain 
size,  they  are  not  able  to  grow  well,  especially  when  young, 
in  a  soil  devoid  of  this  element.  It  is,  therefore,  frequently 
necessary  to  supply  an  additional  amount  of  nitrogen  in 
the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda,  which  is  quickly  available. 
This  is  frequently  done  at  as  late  a  period  as  when  the 
plants  are  in  bloom. 

To  obtain  the  amounts  of  different  fertilizer  elements 
called  for  in  the  above  formula,  the  following  materials 
may  be  used :  PouND8  T0  raE  AcBE 


Ammonia    .     .     . 


300  to  400  dried  blood ;  or 

200  to  300  nitrate  of  soda;  or 

500  to  750  cottonseed  meal ;  or 

150  to  200  sulfate  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid  .     .    700  to  1000  acid  phosphate. 
900  to  1200kainit;  or 


Potash 


150  to     200  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

150  to     200  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 

300  to     450  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

Planting  and  cultivating  bush  beans. 

When  the  crop  is  intended  for  snaps,  the  rows  should 
be  made  2|  feet  apart,  and  the  beans  scattered  thickly 
in  the  row,  at  least  10  seeds  to  the  foot,  making  the  row 
about  6  inches  broad.  The  row  should  be  made  as  straight 
as  possible  as  this  will  save  much  labor  in  cultivating. 

In  sections  where  artesian  wells  may  be  employed  to 
irrigate,  the  rows  should  be  run  on  contours.  When 
such  contour  lines  have  been  established,  they  will  serve 
as  guides  by  which  the  irrigating  system  is  laid  out.  A 


228  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

very  simple  and  effective  method  has  been  employed 
with  good  success  by  some  vegetable-growers  in  south 
Florida.  The  field,  after  the  contour  lines  have  been 
located,  is  thrown  up  in  beds  wide  enough  to  hold  but  two 
rows.  These  beds  are  made  by  using  a  large  two-horse 
plow  and  throwing  up  a  head-land  for  every  two  rows  of 
the  crop  to  be  planted..  This  leaves  a  double  open  furrow 
for  every  two  rows.  When  the  water  is  turned  into  such 
an  open  furrow,  it  moistens  the  land  thoroughly.  Such 
work  requires  a  large  amount  of  water,  and  is  not  practi- 
cable where  the  supply  is  limited.  Under  such  a  plan, 
the  two  rows  on  a  bed  are  made  only  18  or  20  inches  apart, 
while  the  distance  between  those  on  separate  beds  is 
correspondingly  greater. 

In  regions  where  frosts  may  be  expected,  a  second 
sowing  may  be  made  two  weeks  after  the  first.  The  rows 
of  the  second  sowing  should  be  made  as  near  as  possible 
alongside  of  the  rows  of  the  first  sowing.  If  a  frost  occurs, 
the  first  sowing  will  protect  the  plants  of  the  second  sowing. 
If  no  frost  occurs,  the  second  sowing  may  be  destroyed  by 
using  a  cultivator  when  it  begins  to  injure  the  first  sowing. 

All  cultivating  in  a  bean  field  should  be  shallow,  unless 
the  crop  is  planted  in  a  heavy  soil ;  but  it  should  be  fre- 
quent, especially  in  rainy  weather  (this  of  course  does  not 
refer  to  clay  soil).  As  soon  as  the  bloom  appears  abun- 
dantly, it  is  time  to  stop  cultivating,  at  least  near  the 
plants. 

Preparing  bush  beans  for  market. 

Snaps  are  picked  any  time  during  the  day  when  the  dew 
is  off  and  they  are  not  wet  from  rain.  They  should  be 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  229 

picked  as  soon  as  the  beans  in  the  pod  are  about  half  grown, 
or  before  the  pods  begin  to  harden. 

They  are  taken  to  the  packing  house  and  allowed  to 
stand  exposed  to  the  air  for  an  hour  or  so  to  lose  their 
brittleness.  The  packing  is  simple.  The  pile  is  worked 
over  more  or  less  closely  and  all  culls  removed,  at  the 
same  time  they  are  straightened  more  or  less  and  placed  in 
special  bean  crates.  The  crates  are  pressed  down  just 
enough  to  keep  the  product  from  shaking  about. 

In  warm  climates  the  product  often  suffers  severe  loss 
from  anthracnose,  which  causes  peculiar  red  sunken  spots 
on  the  pods.  This  disease  often  destroys  entire  shipments 
in  transit.  It  can  be  prevented  by  spraying  the  picked 
pods  while  in  the  packing  house  with  potassium  sulfide 
or  with  sulfur  spray.  The  snaps  must  be  thoroughly 
dried  before  placing  in  the  crate. 

Harvesting  faish  beans. 

If  the  crop  is  to  ripen,  it  will  be  found  more  convenient 
to  plant  in  hills;  but  these  should  be  proportionately 
farther  apart  in  the  row.  As  soon  as  nearly  all  the  pods 
are  ripe,  the  plants  may  be  cut  off  with  a  scythe  or 
a  grass-mower.  The  gathering  is  usually  best  accom- 
plished by  collecting  the  vines  on  forks  and  placing 
them  in  small  piles  at  convenient  distances.  When 
thoroughly  dry,  they  are  stacked,  and  later  threshed 
either  by  machine  or  by  hand.  The  hand-threshed  beans 
usually  contain  fewer  broken  ones,  and  hence  sell  for 
a  higher  price.  Often  the  pods  are  picked  as  they 
ripen,  but  this  process  is  too  expensive  for  any  but  beans 
saved  for  seed. 


230  Subtropical  Vegetabk-Gardening 

Varieties  of  bush  beans. 

W.  W.  Tracy,  after  a  thorough  study  of  all  the  varieties, 
gives  the  following  list  of  desirable  kinds : 

Green  Snaps  :  —  Earliest :  Warwick,  Bountiful,  Taylor's 
Green  Pod,  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  Grenell's  Stringless  Green  Pod. 

Market :  — Hudson  Green  Pod,  Late  Refugee,  Black 
Valentine,  Extra  Early,  Refugee,  Giant  Stringless  Green 
Pod,  Red  Valentine. 

Home :  —  Giant  Stringless  Green  Pod,  Red  Valentine, 
Late  Refugee,  Warren  Bush. 

Yellow  Snaps :  —  Earliest :  Challenge  Black  Wax, 
Valentine  Wax,  Golden  Wax,  Improved  Golden  Wax, 
Currie's  Rust-proof  Wax. 

Market :  —  Hudson  Wax,  Kenney's  Rustless  Golden 
Wax,  Golden  Wax,  Davis  Wax,  Refugee  Wax,  Bismarck 
Black  Wax. 

Home:  —  Maule's  nameless  Wax  of  1906,  Pencil  Pod 
Black  Wax,  Kenney's  Rustless  Golden  Wax,  Refugee 
Wax,  Burpee's  Kidney  Wax. 

Kidney  Green  Shell :  —  Improved  Goddard,  Ruby 
Horticultural  Bush,  Tennessee  Green  Pod. 

The  green-podded  varieties  are  more  popular  among 
gardeners  because  of  a  general  belief  that  they  are  hardier 
than  the  yellow-podded  ones.  There  is  less  danger  of 
getting  poor  varieties  in  beans  than  in  many  other  vege- 
tables. 

2.    POLE  BEANS 

The  pole  beans  requires  a  richer  soil  than  the  bush 
beans,  and  are  rarely  used  for  shipping  purposes.  These 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  231 

beans  are  desirable  for  family  use,  but  are  somewhat 
later  in  maturing  than  the  dwarf  beans,  so  that  both  kinds 
should  be  planted  for  home  use. 

The  early  preparation  of  the  soil  is  the  same  as  for  the 
low-growing  forms.  The  land  should  be  laid  off  4  by  4  or  6 
by  6  feet,  the  checks  thoroughly  fertilized,  and  after  the 
fertilizer  is  well  incorporated,  the  seed  planted.  From 
one  to  four  beans  should  be  planted  to  the  hill,  varying  the 
number  of  plants  to  suit  the  strength  of  the  land.  Such 
ordinary  care  as  is  given  garden  crops  will  be  sufficient.  As 
soon  as  the  vines  begin  to  run,  they  should  be  staked.  It 
is  best  to  set  the  stakes  so  the  tops  of  four  will  come 
together,  and  tie  them ;  in  this  way,  they  will  support 
one  another.  When  staking  them  in  this  way,  the  space 
between  the  rows  arched  together  must  be  cultivated  by 
hand,  but  the  vines  will  soon  shade  the  ground,  thus  pre- 
venting further  growth  of  weeds.  When  poles  are  not 
procurable,  two  wires  may  be  set,  5  feet  apart,  along 
each  row  and  twine  run  between. 

Varieties  of  pole  beans. 

W.  W.  Tracy  enumerates  the  following  desirable  va- 
rieties for  home  use : 

Green  Snaps  :  —  Black  Kentucky  Wonder,  Burger's 
Stringless,  Kentucky  Wonder,  Lazy  Wife  Pole. 

Yellow  Snaps  :  —  Golden  Carmine,  Podded  Horticul- 
tural, Golden  Cluster  Wax,  Indian  Chief. 

Green  Shell :  —  Lazy  Wife,  Child's  Horticultural,  Lon- 
don Horticultural,  Golden  Carmine,  Podded  Horticul- 
tural. 


232  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


3.    LIMA  BEANS 

The  large-seeded  varieties  of  the  lima  or  butter  bean 
provide,  in  the  opinion  of  many,  one  of  the  choicest  of 
vegetables.  Shelled  from  the  green  pod,  or  when  ripe  and 
dry,  these  beans  are  alike  acceptable  if  cooked  for  two 
hours  or  so.  Lima  beans  are  grown  in  many  tropical 
countries  and  the  best  varieties  should  be  in  every  tropical 
garden  where  the  conditions  allow  of  their  thriving.  They 
usually  grow  well  in  the  dry  or  cool  season  or  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  1000  feet  or  more. 

Culture. 

The  culture  of  the  limas  is  the  same  as  for  the  snap 
beans,  except  that  they  are  more  sensitive  to  cold,  and 
require  some  weeks  longer  to  mature. 

Varieties  of  lima  beam. 

Some  of  the  best  varieties  of  lima  beans  are  as  follows : 
Carolina    or    small-seeded :  —  Wood's    Prolific    Bush, 
Wood's  Improved  Pole. 

Large-seeded:  —  Wonder  Bush,  Dreer's  Bush,  Hender- 
son's Ideal  (pole),  Leviathan  (pole),  Challenger  (pole). 


4.    RUNNER  BEANS 

Runner  beans  grow  well  in  many  tropical  climates  at 
the  proper  season.  Their  large  pods  are  sliced  and 
cooked  green,  or  the  seeds  used  as  green  shell  beans. 
For  the  latter  purpose,  they  are  somewhat  inferior  to  the 
lima  beans.  They  are  chiefly  grown  in  California. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  233 


Varieties. 


Some  of  the  best  varieties  of  the  runner  bean  are: 
Aroostook  Bush  (called  Lima),  Scarlet  Runner  Pole, 
White  Dutch  Runner  Pole.  Other  varieties  may  be 
obtained  from  European  seedsmen. 

Enemies  of  beans  in  general. 

The  bean  weevil  injures  the  green  pods  and  also  the 
stored  seed.  It  may  be  destroyed  in  the  latter  by  treat- 
ment with  carbon  bisulfide. 

Cutworms  often  destroy  seedling  beans  and  are  best 
kept  under  by  the  use  of  poisoned  bait. 

Anthracnose  appears  as  brown  sunken  blotches  on  the 
leaves  and  pods.  It  can  be  checked  by  spraying  the  seed- 
lings with  bordeaux  mixture  and  by  rotation.  It  is 
infectious  and  is  frequently  carried  by  the  seed. 

Sclerotium  blight,  which  produces  wilting  and  death, 
may  be  prevented  by  spraying  the  soil  around  the  stems 
with  ammoniacal  copper  carbonate. 

Bacterial  blight  occurs  as  brown  watery  patches,  which 
dry  up.  It  spreads  quickly.  All  diseased  plants  should 
be  destroyed  and  rotation  practiced.  Downy  mildew  of 
lima  beans  pods  may  be  checked  by  bordeaux  mixture. 

Bulletins. 

Beans,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  289. 

American  Varieties  of  Garden  Beans,  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Plant  Indus- 
try, Bulletin  109,  September,  1907. 

American  Varieties  of  Beans,  N.  Y.  Agr.  Expt.  Station,  Bulletin  260, 
November,  1908. 


234  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


BROAD   BEAN 

The  broad  bean  (Vicia  Faba)  does  not  belong  to  the  same 
genus  as  the  other  common  beans,  and  is  very  different 
in  appearance.  It  is  much  grown  in  Europe  in  the  spring 
and  summer.  Its  large  flat  seeds,  an  inch  or  so  across, 
when  young  and  tender,  are  almost  as  good  as  English  peas, 
and  are  prepared  in  the  same  way.  In  subtropical 
countries,  this  bean  may  be  grown  in  the  winter  season,  as, 
unlike  the  lima  bean,  it  will  stand  some  degree  of  frost. 
It  will  not  endure  much  heat,  and  the  summer  of  most  of 
the  United  States  is  too  hot  for  it,  though  it  is  raised  in 
Canada.  It  has  been  grown  in  India  and  in  Louisiana, 
during  the  cool  season,  but  does  not  produce  a  crop  of  good 
quality  in  the  hotter  parts.  In  England  the  seeds  of  the 
broad  bean  are  often  planted  in  double  rows,  consisting  of 
two  lines  9  inches  apart,  the  rows  being  2  to  3  feet  asunder. 
The  seeds  are  set  about  2  inches  deep.  The  plants  are 
upright  and  the  varieties  vary  from  fourteen  inches  to 
five  feet  in  height.  The  pods  are  picked  when  the  seeds 
have  attained  their  full  size  but  are  still  very  tender. 
They  are  in  considerable  demand  in  the  countries  where 
they  are  grown,  both  for  the  soups  and  as  cooked  vegetables. 
The  Long-pod  varieties  are  the  most  productive,  while 
the  Windsor  group  are  the  best  for  eating.  Seeds  of  the 
broad  bean  can  readily  be  obtained  from  some  American 
and  most  European  seedsmen.  In  dry  weather  it  is 
sometimes  advisable  to  soak  the  seeds  for  twelve  hours 
before  sowing.  On  the  whole,  the  broad  bean  seems  a 
promising  winter  vegetable  for  the  subtropical  regions  of 
the  western  hemisphere. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  235 

COWPEA 

Cowpeas,  often  called  field  peas  in  the  southern  United 
States,  besides  being  used  as  a  soil-improver  in  a  rotation, 
and  as  a  valuable  hay  crop,  are  grown  in  the  South, 
especially  in  Louisiana  and  Florida,  for  use  as  shell  peas,  as 
snaps,  or  for  the  dry  peas  which  are  cooked  like  beans. 
After  conducting  experiments  on  their  digestibility,  C.  E. 
Wait  said :  "  The  cowpea  has  a  distinctive  and  pleasing 
flavor,  and  can  be  prepared  for  the  table  in  a  great  many 
appetizing  ways,  and  compares  favorably  with  other 
legumes  in  respect  to  both  nutritive  value  and  digestibility. 
Its  wholesomeness  and  possible  place  in  the  diet  are  at- 
tested by  its  long  and  general  use  in  the  Southern  States." 
The  Lady  cowpea  was  found  to  be  somewhat  more 
digestible  than  kidney  beans,  83  per  cent  of  the  protein, 
and  95  per  cent  of  the  carbohydrates  being  digested.  The 
varieties  most  used  for  table  purposes  are  Sugar  Crowder 
(an  early  pea),  Blackeye,  Lady  (a  small  white  pea),  and 
Wonderful  (a  late  variety).  Bush  Conch  is  a  Florida 
table  pea.  These  varieties  can  be  obtained  from  seeds- 
men in  Louisiana  or  Florida.  For  the  sandy  regions  of  the 
coastal  plain,  the  Iron  or  the  Brabham  should  be  planted. 
Cowpeas  will  grow  well  in  the  hot  season  in  subtropical 
countries,  and  as  they  stand  heat  better  than  the  English 
pea  or  even  than  many  kinds  of  beans,  they  can  be  grown 
in  the  tradewind  belts.  Cowpeas  should  be  planted  in 
drills  2  to  3  feet  apart,  with  6  inches  or  so  between  the 
plants.  They  may  be  fertilized  and  cultivated  like  beans. 

Bulletin. 

Cowpeas,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  318,  1908. 


236  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


PEANUT 

The  peanut  is  becoming  one  of  the  staple  products  of 
nearly  all  subtropical  regions.  The  trade  with  the  United 
States  amounts  to  millions  of  dollars  annually.  The  small- 
podded  kinds  are  grown  in  most  warm  countries.  The 
kernels  are  regarded  as  valuable  food  for  man  and  the  lower 
animals,  and  as  forming  a  more  nearly  complete  food  than 
any  other  single  crop  raised.  The  oil  has  been  much 
used  instead  of  olive  oil,  and  is  nearly  colorless,  with  a 
slight  odor  that  is  not  unpleasant,  and  a  taste  resembling 
that  of  olive  oil.  It  is  used  in  soap-making,  and  can 
also  be  employed  for  lubricating  and  for  burning.  One 
bushel  of  unhulled  peanuts  yields  about  a  gallon  of  oil. 
The  residue,  after  expressing  the  oil,  makes  a  good 
oil-cake  for  stock,  and  also  a  good  fertilizer;  but  it 
is  too  valuable  to  use  for  the  latter  purpose.  Pigs  fatten 
rapidly  when  turned  into  a  peanut  field,  and  peanut 
hay  or  straw  is  a  useful  stock  feed.  Besides  this,  mil- 
lions of  pounds  are  converted  into  confections  or  eaten  as 
"nuts." 

Soil  and  preparation. 

Peanuts  require  a  light-colored  sandy  soil,  well  drained 
but  not  dry.  Loamy  soils  containing  clay  and  lime  pro- 
duce heavier  nuts  and  greater  yields  than  more  sandy 
soils.  A  warm  location  is  preferred.  The  preparation  of 
the  field  is  similar  to  that  for  the  usual  field  crops,  except 
that  it  should  be  more  thorough.  Deep  'plowing  is  essen- 
tial in  localities  where  drought  is  likely  to  occur  during 
the  growing  season. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  237 

Fertilizer. 

Peanuts  require  the  following  proportions  of  fertilizer 
ingredients :  ammonia,  3|  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  5  per  cent;  potash,  10  per  cent.  Use  600  to  1000 
pounds  of  the  above  formula  to  an  acre.  Most  of  our 
land  will  not  require  nitrogenous  fertilizer  for  this  crop. 
Dressings  of  lime  are  very  beneficial,  especially  on  sour 
soils.  The  following  table  gives  the  amounts  of  different 
fertilizer  materials  that  may  be  used  to  supply  the  desired 
amounts  of  each  element: 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 
300  to    500  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
A  180  to    300  dried  blood;  or 

'     120  to    200  nitrate  of  soda;  or 
100  to    150  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid  .     .    300  to    500  acid  phosphate. 
800  to  1200  kainit ;  or 


Potash 


120  to    200  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

125  to    210  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 

250  to    400  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 


Planting  peanuts. 

Before  planting  the  best  kinds,  the  pods  are  shelled, 
by  breaking  between  the  thumb  and  fingers,  care  being 
taken  not  to  injure  the  kernels.  After  the  seed  has  been 
shelled,  it  must  be  stored  in  small  lots  to  keep  it  from  heat- 
ing, but  must  not  become  too  dry.  When  many  acres  are 
to  be  planted  by  one  person,  it  becomes  quite  a  task  and 
also  a  risk  to  keep  the  seed  after  it  is  prepared,  if  a  planter 
is  not  used.  While  the  seed  is  being  hulled  it  is  at  the 
same  time  selected,  all  the  poorly  formed  and  bad  kernels 


238  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

or  pods  being  thrown  out.  It  will  pay  to  have  a  breeding 
plot,  and  select  seed  from  the  best  plants,  as  with  corn 
and  Sea  Island  cotton.  Two  bushels  in  the  pod  will  give 
seed  enough  to  plant  an  acre. 

In  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  it  is  necessary  to  be  careful 
about  the  time  of  planting;  if  a  cold  spell  follows  the 
planting,  the  seed  is  liable  to  fail ;  if  the  planter  waits  until 
the  possibility  of  cold  weather  is  past,  the  greater  part 
of  the  crop  is  likely  to  be  frozen  in  the  fall.  The  expense  of 
replanting  in  those  states  is  a  doubtful  investment.  In 
the  lower  South  there  is  no  disadvantage  in  waiting  until 
the  weather  and  soil  are  warm  enough  to  ensure  speedy 
germination.  The  seeds  should  be  tested,  however, 
before  they  are  committed  to  the  ground.  This  can  be 
done  easily  in  a  coldframe,  or  in  a  large  shallow  box 
which  can  be  protected  from  the  cold. 

The  rows  are  made  about  3  feet  apart,  and  the  seeds 
planted  1  or  2  feet  apart  in  the  row.  When  the  land  is  in  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  it  is  not  difficult  to  lay  off  the 
rows  and  then  make  dots  in  which  to  drop  the  seeds.  On 
clay  soils  the  row  must  be  raised  slightly  above  the  general 
level,  so  that  the  seeds  will  be  about  on  the  level  of  the 
land.  The  seeds  should  be  planted  about  an  inch  deep ; 
if  the  soil  is  sandy  or  light,  it  will  be  better  to  plant  deeper. 
Peanuts,  however,  are  usually  planted  with  a  one-horse 
planter,  similar  to  a  cotton  planter,  and  costing  about  $15. 
In  about  two  weeks  after  planting,  the  field  may  be  ex- 
amined and  any  missing  hills  replanted.  The  time  of 
planting  depends  on  the  weather,  but  is  usually  between 
the  middle  of  April  and  the  middle  of  May  or  even  later 
near  the  tropics. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  239 

Cultivation  of  peanuts. 

The  field  is  put  into  thorough  tilth  before  planting,  and 
is  kept  in  good  tilth  so  as  not  to  give  the  weeds  a  chance 
to  get  the  crop  under.  A  week  or  ten  days  after  the 
field  has  been  planted,  it  should  be  cultivated.  It  does 
not  matter  what  kind  of  implement  is  used,  so  long  as 
the  surface  is  kept  mellow,  and  weeds  not  allowed  to 
grow.  In  some  sections  it  is  better  to  plant  the  field  in 
checks.  One  thing  should  be  kept  in  mind  constantly, 
that  weeds  are  very  difficult  to  clear  out  after  the  vines  have 
begun  to  bush.  In  general,  level  or  flat  culture  will  be 
found  better  in  light  sandy  soil.  Under  this  form  of 
cultivation,  the  soil  does  not  dry  out  as  much  as  with  hill 
culture.  A  second  cultivation  is  given  within  ten  days 
or  two  weeks  after  the  first,  the  interval  being  gauged 
more  by  the  necessity  of  the  case  than  by  the  time  elapsed. 
After  the  second  cultivation,  the  hoe  and  the  fingers  may 
have  to  be  used  considerably;  the  hills  have  begun  to 
spread  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  cultivate  up  to  the  plants. 
Care  must  be  taken  not  to  disturb  them  as  they  are  pre- 
paring to  produce  flower-buds,  and  any  interference  is 
liable  to  be  detrimental  to  the  yield.  All  grass  and 
weeds  coming  up  in  the  hill  have  to  be  pulled  out  by 
hand.  The  third  and  fourth  cultivations  have  to  be 
carried  on  with  still  greater  care  than  the  second;  the 
weedings  need  more  care  also,  on  account  of  the  crop 
setting  at  that  time.  After  this,  shallow  cultivation  may 
be  kept  up  until  the  vines  meet  across  the  row.  If  the 
land  is  quite  level,  the  cultivation  should  be  carried  on  so 
that  when  the  plants  are  "  laid  by,"  the  rows  will  stand  on 


240  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

slight  mounds,  the  trough  between  which  will  carry  off  the 
water  during  a  rainy  season  and  keep  the  crop  dry.  After 
a  field  is  well  established  there  is  little  danger  from  drought. 

Harvesting  peanuts. 

About  two  months  after  the  last  plowing,  the  earlier 
nuts  begin  to  ripen.  In  a  dry  season,  the  vines  may  be 
left  in  the  field  until  the  greater  part  of  the  crop  is  ripe, 
if  there  is  little  danger  from  frost ;  but  in  Virginia  the  crop 
has  to  be  harvested  before  the  first  frost,  as  the  nuts  and 
vines  are  severely  damaged  by  it.  During  a  rainy  autumn 
it  is  necessary  to  watch  the  crop,  and  harvest  it  before 
the  earlier  ripened  nuts  begin  to  sprout. 

For  removing  the  vines,  a  plow  with  a  long  sweep  is 
often  used.  This  share  or  blade  passes  along  on  each  side 
of  the  row  under  the  nuts  and  cuts  off  the  roots.  This 
implement  may  be  likened  to  a  stirring  plow  with  the  mold- 
board  removed.  The  share  is  regulated  to  such  a  depth  as 
to  work  as  near  the  surface  as  possible  without  cutting 
any  of  the  nuts.  A  machine  potato-digger  will  do  the 
work  well,  and  special  peanut  diggers  are  also  used  which 
dig,  clean,  and  bunch  the  vines. 

When  the  plow  is  used,  laborers  follow  it  and  raise  the 
vines  with  a  pitchfork,  at  the  same  time  shaking  off  all 
the  dirt.  Two  rows  of  vines  are  tossed  together  into  a 
windrow.  These  are  allowed  to  dry  for  a  few  hours  and 
then  stacked.  A  pole  about  seven  feet  long  is  put  into 
the  ground  firmly  and  the  vines  piled  around  this.  Before 
stacking,  some  sticks  of  wood  are  laid  down  around  the 
pole  to  keep  the  vines  off  the  ground.  The  stacks  are 
made  as  narrow  as  possible,  to  give  them  a  good  chance 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  241 

to  dry  out.  In  about  two  or  three  weeks  from  the  time 
of  stacking,  the  crop  will  be  ready  to  be  picked.  This  is 
usually  done  by  women  or  children,  and  is  paid  for  by 
the  bushel.  The  picking  is  an  expensive  operation,  and 
it  may  be,  delayed ;  but  if  the  hay  is  wanted,  it  is  best  not 
to  leave  this  out  any  longer  than  necessary.  It  is  also  well 
to  have  the  nuts  where  they  cannot  be  destroyed  by 
insects  and  other  animals,  and  when  one  has  room  in  the 
barn  it  will  be  found  cheaper  to  dry  the  crop  and  then 
house  it  at  once.  The  smaller  kinds  of  peanuts  fill  the 
shell  more  completely,  and  so  can  be  more  readily  picked 
by  machine.  There  has  been  some  objection  raised  by 
the  retail  dealers  to  buying  the  nuts  that  have  been  picked 
by  machine,  but  this  will  soon  disappear  when  more  perfect 
separators  are  used,  and  when  the  nuts  become  so  cheap 
that  they  cannot  be  picked  by  hand. 

After  the  nuts  have  been  picked  they  should  be  cleaned. 
This  is  done  in  cleaning  and  grading  factories.  The 
process  throws  out  all  "pops  and  snaps,"  and  also  removes 
the  dirt  and  sand.  It  would  pay  to  have  one  of  these  clean- 
ing and  grading  factories  in  every  neighborhood  where 
many  of  the  large-podded  peanuts  are  grown,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  put  the  product  on  the  market  in  the  best  shape 
possible.  As  soon  as  the  crop  is  cleaned,  it  should  be 
sacked  in  bags  holding  about  100  pounds  or  four  bushels. 
It  can  be  stored  in  this  way,  and  put  on  the  market  at  any 
time. 

The  usual  yield  is  from  thirty  to  fifty  bushels  an  acre, 
but  many  crops  are  greater  than  this,  some  as  high  as  a 
hundred  bushels.  Besides  the  nuts,  from  one  to  two  tons 
of  excellent  hay  may  usually  be  obtained. 


242  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

After  the  crop  has  been  removed,  hogs  should  be 
pastured  on  the  field  to  feed  on  the  nuts  that  were  not 
gathered. 

Varieties  of  peanuts. 

Virginia  Bunch  and  Virginia  Runner  are  large-podded 
varieties.  Dixie  Giant  has  a  larger  pod,  and  is  grown  on 
the  Gulf  Coast.  Spanish  and  Tennessee  Red  are  mostly 
grown  for  stock  feed. 

Literature. 

Peanut,  Cyclopedia  of  Amer.  Agriculture,  Vol.  II,  pp.  514-519,  1907. 
Peanut,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  431. 

GOOBER 

The  goober  looks  like  a  large  one-seeded  peanut.  In 
some  parts  of  our  country  the  name  goober  is  applied  to 
the  peanut.  Botanically,  the  peanut  is  Arachis  hypogcea, 
while  the  goober  is  Voandzeia  subterranea.  The  cultiva- 
tion and  general  manipulation  are  the  same  as  for  the 
peanut.  The  crop  has  not  been  grown  extensively. 

Either  the  peanut  or  the  goober  makes  a  good  soiling 
plant,  and  one  that  is  worth  careful  attention  from  this 
standpoint,  as  well  as  from  that  of  an  economic  crop. 

SWEET  CORN 

The  varieties  of  sweet  corn  grown  for  cooking  when 
nearly  ripe  have  the  starch  in  the  grain  more  or  less  re- 
placed by  sugar,  and  the  grains  in  consequence  wrinkle 
when  dried.  It  might  be  called  wrinkled  corn,  just  as 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Seeds  243 

the  sweet  kinds  of  English  pea  are  called  wrinkled  peas. 
Sweet  corn  is  not  grown  in  the  southern  United  States  to 
such  a  large  extent  as  in  some  parts  of  the  North.  It  has 
been  found  that  properly  cured  and  selected  home-grown 
seed  is  superior  to  that  from  more  northern  states.  Sweet 
corn  should  be  planted  earlier  than  field  corn  so  that  it 
will  blossom  first,  or  it  should  be  grown  in  an  isolated 
place  where  it  will  not  be  liable  to  mix  with  the  field  corn. 
Pollen  from  field  corn  makes  every  grain  of  sweet  corn  it 
fertilizes  starchy,  and  so  injures  the  quality  of  the  ears. 

The  varieties  Crosby,  Black  Mexican,  Hickox,  Country 
Gentlemen,  Stowell's  Evergreen,  and  Late  Mammoth 
have  been  recommended  for  a  succession  in  Louisiana.  In 
north  Florida,  Black  Mexican  was  found  to  do  well,  and 
this  would  probably  be  one  of  the  best  sugar  corns  for 
tropical  countries.  There  are  several  points  requiring 
attention  in  the  growing  of  sweet  corn  for  seed.  If  there  is 
any  field  corn  tasseling  at  the  same  time  within  even  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  the  pollen  from  this  will  often  cause 
mixing  in  the  ear.  But  these  mixed  ears  can  readily  be 
detected,  and  thrown  out  altogether,  or  the  blended 
grains  only  removed.  As  sweet  corn  usually  ripens  in  the 
rainy  season,  the  ears  will  require  drying  under  cover  in 
thin  layers,  or  with  the  help  of  a  fan.  Fire  heat  has  not 
proved  satisfactory.  Early  Adams  and  Extra  Early 
Adams  are  often  grown  as  garden  corn ;  but  they  are  not 
sugar  corns,  and  so  will  spoil  any  sweet  corn  which  blossoms 
at  the  same  time. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

VEGETABLES    WITH   EDIBLE    TUBERS   OR 
ROOTS 

SEVERAL  of  the  root  crops,  such  as  the  potato,  the 
sweet  potato,  and  cassava,  are  important  food  crops. 
Others,  as  the  radish  and  carrot,  form  agreeable  adjuncts 
to  the  staple  foods.  Their  food  value  is  mostly  due  to 
starch,  or,  in  the  case  of  the  sweet  potato  and  beet,  to 
sugar  also. 

IRISH  POTATO 

The  potato,  or  as  it  is  often  called  the  Irish  potato,  was 
cultivated  by  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  South  America 
on  the  tropical  mountains  of  Peru  and  Colombia.  It 
seems  to  have  still  some  of  the  characteristics  of  a  tropical 
mountain  plant  in  its  poor  endurance  of  frost,  drought, 
or  heat.  In  subtropical  countries  where  frosts  occur, 
the  potato  is  grown  only  in  the  spring  and  fall.  In  frost- 
less  regions  it  may  be  cultivated  in  the  cool  season,  but 
in  several  tropical  countries  it  will  only  grow  well  at 
elevations  of  some  thousands  of  feet. 

To  raise  Irish  potatoes  profitably  in  the  South,  it  will 

be  well  to  watch  the  crop  in  the  potato-growing  sections 

of  the  North.     If  the  yield  of  the  late  crop  has  been  good, 

the  demand  for  new  potatoes  will  be  small  and  the  market 

244 


PLATE  XII.  —  POTATOES  AND  TOMATOES 
Irish  potato  field  above ;  below,  tomatoes  properly  staked. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         245 

easily  stocked ;  but  if  the  yield  of  the  late  crop  has  been 
poor,  there  will  be  a  steady  demand  for  all  the  potatoes 
which  can  be  raised. 

The  large  yields  that  one  reads  about  are  produced  by 
persons  who  have  served  their  apprenticeship  at  this  kind 
of  gardening.  One  should  not  expect  to  raise  a  heavy 
crop  until  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  fields  to  be  used, 
and  familiar  with  many  kinds  of  potatoes.  Over  the 
greater  portion  of  the  South  it  is  necessary  to  use  in- 
secticides and  fungicides  to  raise  the  largest  crop. 

Soil  and  preparation  for  potatoes. 

Potatoes  can  stand  heavier  land  than  the  usual  vege- 
tables, but  the  soil  must  be  fertile  and  deep.  A  bay  head 
or  muckland  that  has  been  drained  and  freed  of  sourness 
will  be  found  exceedingly  well  adapted  to  this  crop.  A 
cold,  stiff,  clayey  soil  usually  fails  to  give  a  profitable 
return.  If  the  land  is  not  naturally  moist,  water  will  have 
to  be  supplied ;  it  is  useless  to  try  to  raise  this  crop  on 
dry  land,  but  it  will  stand  a  long  drought  if  the  sub- 
stratum is  not  dry.  Heavy  soggy  land  will  not  produce 
a  good  crop  until  it  is  drained.  On  this  point  we  can  do  no 
better  than  to  quote  Dr.  Lawes,  of  the  Rothamsted  Experi- 
ment Station,  England  :  "  If  you  want  to  grow  large  crops 
of  potatoes,  you  must  be  liberal  in  your  supply  of  water  as 
well  as  food.  The  following  will  give  you  some  idea  of  the 
importance  of  rainfall,  even  when  the  potatoes  have  an 
abundance  of  food.  We  grow  potatoes  continually  upon 
the  same  land,  using  the  same  manures.  The  potash  and 
phosphate  are  in  excess  of  the  requirements  of  the  largest 
crop  grown,  so  they  are  an  accumulation  in  the  soil.  The 


246  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

nitrogen  is  also  largely  in  excess  of  what  the  crop  takes  up, 
but  this  does  not  accumulate.  Rainfall  in  inches : 

May  to  October,  1881,  13|  in.,  yield  482  bu.  per  acre. 
May  to  October,  1882,  12£  in.,  yield  397  bu.  per  acre. 
May  to  October,  1883,  13  in.,  yield  401  bu.  per  acre. 
May  to  October,  1884,  9  in.,  yield  222  bu.  per  acre. 

In  1881  the  rainfall  was  better  distributed  over  the  sea- 
son than  in  1883." 

In  preparing  the  land,  all  debris  and  rubbish  should  be 
removed.  The  plowing  should  be  deep  and  thorough, 
so  there  will  be  no  difficulty  for  the  plants  to  find  moisture. 
Thorough  plowing  will  partly  compensate  for  a  lack  of 
fertilizer. 

If  the  field  is  to  be  irrigated  (and  this  should  be  done 
where  it  is  possible),  it  may  be  thrown  up  in  beds  wide 
enough  to  hold  from  two  to  ten  rows.  The  trenches 
between  the  rows  are  to  guide  the  water.  During  a  very 
wet  season,  these  trenches  of  about  nine  inches  in  depth 
are  excellent  for  drainage,  as  they  keep  the  water  from 
standing  on  the  land.  By  this  method  the  plants  are  fed 
from  the  bottom,  and  keep  sending  their  roots  downward 
to  the  stratum  of  moisture.  Plate  XII  shows  deep  furrow 
in  left  foreground. 

Fertilizer  for  potatoes, 

The  following  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  used : 
ammonia,  5  per  cent;  available  phosphoric  acid,  6  per 
cent ;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  from  800  to  1200  pounds 
of  the  above  formula.  When  potatoes  sell  for  a  high  price 
and  the  land  is  near  market,  it  will  be  found  profitable 
to  use  as  much  as  2000  pounds. 


Ammonia 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         247 

Chlorides  are  regarded  as  detrimental  to  the  quality  of 
the  potatoes.  On  sand  lands  and  sandy  loams,  organic 
ammonias  are  usually  employed. 

The  following  quantities  of  fertilizers  will  give  the  de- 
sired amounts  of  the  elements : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACBE 

500  to  800  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
350  to  500  dried  blood ;  or 
200  to  300  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 
150  to  250  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Phosphoric  acid     .    .     .    500  to  700  acid  phosphate. 

potagh  j  200  to  300  nitrate  of  potash ; 1  or 

1 150  to  225  sulfate  of  potash,  high-grade. 

The  roots  of  the  potatoes  do  not  penetrate  the  soil  as 
deeply  as  those  of  some  other  crops,  so  the  fertilizer 
should  be  in  the  furrow  or  in  the  hill.  In  whatever  way 
the  fertilizer  be  applied,  no  effort  should  be  spared  to  have 
it  well  mixed  with  the  soil. 

Seed  potatoes. 

Several  series  of  careful  experiments  have  been  under- 
taken, which  appear  to  show  that  the  use  of  small  tubers 
for  planting  decreases  the  yield.  On  the  whole  the  evi- 
dence is  against  the  use  of  small  tubers  for  propagation, 
and  these  are  also  more  likely  to  be  immature.  Medium- 
sized  tubers  will  give  satisfactory  yields. 

1  When  nitrate  of  potash  is  used,  only  one-third  of  the  amount 
of  materials  used  for  nitrogen  need  be  employed.  By  referring 
to  the  table  of  approximate  amounts  of  different  fertilizers,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  nitrate  of  potash  contains  13  to  14  per  cent  of 
nitrogen. 


248  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

With  regard  to  home-grown  seed  potatoes,  the  difficulty 
is  chiefly  with  properly  ripening  and  storing  the  tubers. 
If  this  can  be  done,  it  has  been  claimed  that  the  fall- 
grown  tubers  in  the  South  are  equal  to  northern-grown 
potatoes  as  seed  for  the  spring  crop.  However, .  many 
growers  who  raise  early  potatoes  use  northern  seed.  Even 
with  good  home-grown  seed,  experience  in  both  Europe 
and  America  has  shown  that  a  change  to  seed  potatoes 
from  another  locality  is  often  necessary  every  few  years 
to  keep  up  the  yield. 

It  is  usually  best  to  cut  the  tubers  before  planting. 
There  are  machines  that  cut,  drop  the  pieces,  and  fertilize 
the  ground  at  the  same  time;  such  machines  are  used 
with  a  profit  in  regions  where  potato-growing  is  carried 
on  extensively.  On  well-cleared  land,  and  where  large 
areas  are  to  be  planted,  it  will  pay  to  use  them. 

Planting  potatoes. 

For  the  fall  crop,  the  seed  potatoes  are  often  sprouted 
before  planting  and  cut  to  one  or  two  eyes.  If  the  planting 
is  to  be  done  by  hand,  care  should  be  taken  not  to  cut  the 
tubers  and  leave  them  lying  in  a  pile;  even  as  small  a 
heap  as  a  bushel  is  liable  to  heat  and  partly  to  lose  its 
germinating  power  in  twenty-four  hours.  If  the  tubers 
are  cut  several  days  beforehand,  scatter  them  to  dry; 
the  moisture  lost  by  evaporation  is  soon  regained  when 
planted,  and  without  perceptible  loss  in  vigor  of  growth. 
Some  growers  advise  the  use  of  lime  or  land  plaster  on  the 
cut  tubers  when  they  are  not  used  immediately.  The 
tubers  should  be  cut  so  as  to  give  the  eyes  as  much  "meat" 
as  possible ;  if  the  conditions  are  proper,  only  one  or  two 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         249 

eyes  in  each  piece  will  start,  the  rest  remaining  dormant. 
The  pieces  are  dropped  about  a  foot  apart  in  the  row  and 
covered  by  means  of  a  plow,  and  if  the  land  is  loose, 
rolled.  When  irrigation  is  used,  it  is  impossible  to  culti- 
vate across  the  rows  and  they  should  then  be  made  as 
straight  as  possible  so  that  the  cultivator  can  run  very  near 
the  row.  It  is  possible  to  raise  good  crops  of  potatoes 
without  hoeing  at  all. 

For  fields  that  cannot  be  irrigated,  the  rows  may  be  made 
2|  or  3  feet  apart.  Two  by  2  feet  is  too  close  for  good  culti- 
vation. When  labor  is  hard  to  obtain,  it  will  be  found 
cheaper  to  raise  the  crop  in  checks.  In  such  a  case,  the 
rows  may  be  marked  out  2|  feet  apart  with  the  crossmarks 
2  feet  apart.  If  labor  is  cheap,  the  rows  may  be  marked 
out  3  feet  apart,  and  the  potatoes  dropped  about  a  foot 
apart  in  the  row.  Such  fields  usually  have  to  be  hoed 
once  or  twice.  Cover  the  pieces  with  4  or  5  inches  of  soil. 

While  potatoes  like  decaying  vegetable  matter,  barn- 
yard manure  is  rarely  used  on  account  of  its  tendency  to 
induce  scab.  It  is  difficult  to  make  the  soil  too  rich,  but 
whether  it  will  pay  to  use  large  quantities  of  commercial 
fertilizer  depends  on  the  conditions  of  the  markets. 
Lime  or  other  corrective  of  acidity  should  not  be  used. 

Cultivation  of  potatoes. 

The  cultivation  is  much  the  same  as  for  tomatoes,  and 
should  be  carried  on  in  the  same  way.  When  the  potatoes 
are  about  to  come  through  the  ground,  a  good  harrowing 
with  a  smoothing  harrow  or  horse  weeder  will  destroy  many 
weeds  and  will  take  the  place  of  the  first  hoeing. 

The  cultivation  should  be  thorough,  and  the  first  cul- 


250  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

tivation  may  be  deep.  If  the  field  is  not  irrigated,  it 
will  be  safer  to  employ  level  culture.  Hill  culture  is  good 
in  a  rainy  year,  but  is  disastrous  in  a  very  dry  one.  In 
case  of  a  rainy  season,  trenches  can  be  made  in  various 
parts  of  the  field  to  relieve  it  from  surplus  water.  By 
the  time  the  tubers  begin  to  form,  the  field  should  be 
"laid  away."  Towards  the  end  the  cultivation  should 
be  rather  shallow.  (See  upper  figure,  Plate  XII.) 

Harvesting. 

The  time  to  harvest  potatoes  depends  on  the  condition 
of  the  market.  Usually  the  earliest  crop  brings  the  best 
returns ;  very  early  potatoes  never  fail  to  sell  well.  The 
marketing  is  done  in  ordinary  barrels.  This  is  a  staple 
crop,  so  it  is  not  necessary  to  pay  much  attention  to 
fine  stencils  and  nice  finish  of  containers.  The  buyers 
pay  more  attention  to  the  product  offered  for  sale  than 
to  the  style  in  which  it  comes. 

It  is  not  profitable  to  raise  large  quantities  for  the  local 
market,  unless  one  is  engaged  in  the  general  vegetable 
business.  The  hotels  throughout  the  South  consume  a 
considerable  quantity,  and  their  trade  is  worth  soliciting. 
The  time  of  harvesting  is  determined  by  the  condition  of 
the  tubers ;  if  the  skin  peels  off  easily,  they  will  not  carry 
to  a  distant  market,  and  be  in  a  presentable  condition. 
For  midwinter  delivery  the  market  expects  a  certain 
amount  of  peel  to  be  knocked  off ;  this  insures  the  product 
as  new. 

During  the  time  that  the  crop  brings  a  fancy  price, 
it  will  pay  to  dig  the  potatoes  by  hand  with  a  fork,  but 
when  the  profits  are  small  and  the  crops  are  large  it  will  be 


'Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         251 

found  more  profitable  to  use  horse  power.  A  favorite 
way  is  to  plow  them  out  with  a  common  two-horse  turning 
plow,  and  then  have  the  hands  gather  those  in  sight  and 
work  the  hills  over  till  they  are  found.  A  more  successful 
method  is  to  use  a  potato  digger.  A  cheap  form  is  simply 
a  large  bull-tongue  plow  with  iron  rods  projecting  back 
to  separate  the  potatoes  and  the  soil.  The  machine  is 
simple,  but  saves  much  labor  and  does  efficient  work. 
There  are  also  much  more  elaborate  machines,  that  dig 
and  elevate  the  potatoes  to  a  wagon,  thus  reducing  the 
labor  to  a  minimum;  but  these  are  not  operated  easily 
unless  the  land  has  been  well  cleared. 

Storing  potatoes. 

In  colder  climates,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  keep  the 
potatoes  from  freezing,  and  usually  they  will  remain 
sound  until  spring.  As  soon  as  warm  weather  approaches, 
they  begin  to  sprout.  This  may  be  prevented  by  keeping 
the  cellar  cool.  In  the  South  the  matter  of  storing  is  not 
quite  so  simple,  as  the  temperature  is  usually  so  high  that 
germination  begins  soon  after  ripening.  A  successful 
way  of  keeping  potatoes  for  family  use  is  to  kill  the  buds, 
and  then  barrel  the  tubers  to  prevent  excessive  evapora- 
tion. One-half  to  one  per  cent  sulf  uric  acid  will  accomplish 
this.  The  potatoes  are  placed  in  the  liquid  for  an  hour 
and  then  removed  to  dry.  Of  course  this  will  remove  all 
vitality  from  the  buds,  and  the  potatoes  can  only  be  used 
for  food.  The  operation  kills  many  germs  of  decay  at 
the  same  time,  and  so  acts  as  a  preservative.  Another 
excellent  way  is  to  keep  the  tubers  in  thoroughly  dried 
sand,  to  which  one  part  in  four  of  air-slaked  lime  has 


252  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

been  added.    This  method  has  the  advantage  of    not 
destroying  their  germinating  power. 

Varieties  of  potatoes. 

The  earlier  potato  varieties  are  preferable  for  market, 
as  the  early  part  of  the  crop  pays  best.  The  later  varieties 
will  be  found  good  for  home  use,  and  give  potatoes  after 
the  early  ones  have  been  exhausted.  There  are  many 
disadvantages  in  raising  the  early  varieties,  however, 
and  often  they  fail  to  produce  a  crop  at  all ;  but  as  the 
vegetable-grower  learns  more  about  the  requirements  of 
the  crop  this  becomes  easier.  Rose  No.  4,  Early  Rose, 
Bliss  Triumph,  Early  Ohio,  Beauty  of  Hebron,  and  Bur- 
bank  are  good  early  varieties.  Carman  No.  1  and  Rural 
New  York  No.  2  are  good  later  varieties. 

Second  crop  of  potatoes. 

It  is  a  common  practice  to  import  potatoes  for  fall  and 
winter  use,  but  this  has  been  proved  unnecessary  by  the 
production  of  a  second  crop.  The  first  crop  does  not  keep 
well  without  special  care  later  than  September.  In 
July  or  August  tubers  are  spread  out  to  the  light  under  an 
arbor  or  on  a  barn  floor  where  the  sun  will  not  hurt  them. 
This  is  not  necessary,  but  it  will  hasten  their  sprouting, 
and  it  is  easier  to  take  care  of  them  here  than  when  planted 
in  a  field.  When  the  tubers  have  sprouted  well  they  may 
be  cut  and  planted,  care  being  taken,  of  course,  not  to 
knock  the  sprouts  off.  Sometimes  the  long  sprouts  are 
taken  off  as  "draws"  and  planted. 

The  field  may  be  planted  any  time,  even  as  late  as 
September,  with  a  reasonable  hope  of  securing  a  small 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         253 

crop.  It  will,  however,  be  found  difficult  to  keep  the  vines 
healthy  and  the  field  free  from  weeds.  It  is  also  necessary 
to  have  the  field  well  prepared  as  to  drainage,  for  while 
potatoes  like  a  moist  soil  they  cannot  stand  a  soggy  one. 
The  second  crop  is  simply  intended  for  home  use  and 
for  local  markets.  It  is  well  worth  the  time  and  trouble 
to  raise  this  fall  crop  when  one  has  to  pay  $1.50  to  $2  a 
bushel  at  retail  for  potatoes  grown  in  the  North.  This 
second  crop  is  sometimes  used  to  supply  seed  tubers  for 
the  spring. 

Diseases  of  potatoes. 

Scab  is  often  carried  by  the  seed  potatoes.  It  may  be 
lessened  or  prevented  by  treating  the  seed  with  a  dilute 
solution  of  corrosive  sublimate  or  of  formalin. 

Early  blight  is  caused  by  a  fungus  which  spreads  on  the 
leaves  in  ring-shaped  areas,  and  decreases  the  yield.  It 
may  be  prevented  by  repeated  spraying  with  bordeaux 
mixture. 

Late  blight  destroys  the  leaves  and  rots  the  tubers. 
It  may  be  prevented  or  checked  by  thorough  spraying  with 
bordeaux  mixture. 

Rhizoctonia  (Corticium)  causes  rotting  of  the  base  of 
the  stem  and  resetting.  It  is  often  carried  by  the  seed 
potatoes,  and  the  remedy  is  to  plant  healthy  seed. 

Bacterial  blight  causes  the  leaves  and  stems  to  wilt 
and  is  contagious. 

Bulletins. 

Growing  Irish  Potatoes,  Fla.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  82,  1905. 
The  Cultivation  of  Potatoes,  Va.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  174,  1907. 


254  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Potato  Diseases,  Maine  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  149,  1907. 

The  Improvement  of  the  Potato,  111.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  127,  1908. 

Potato  Growing,  Minn.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  114,  1909. 

The  Potato  as  a  Truck  Crop,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  407, 1910. 


SWEET   POTATO 

The  sweet  potato  is  a  tropical  plant  which  is  cultivated 
in  most  tropical  and  subtropical  countries,  and  especially 
in  the  southern  United  States.  In  warm  countries,  it 
commonly  produces  some  fertile  seed,  and  new  varieties 
can  be  obtained  from  these,  as  is  done  with  the  Irish 
potato.  There  has  not  been  much  systematic  work  done 
in  this  direction,  though  a  beginning  has  been  made  in 
some  tropical  countries.  The  plant  is  remarkable  for 
the  ease  with  which  cuttings  of  the  green  vines  take  root, 
and  this  is  the  commonest  method  of  propagation.  Its 
tuberous  roots  contain  about  the  same  percentage  of 
starch  as  the  Irish  potato,  together  with  a  variable  amount 
of  sugar. 

This  crop  is  cultivated  extensively  in  the  southern 
states.  It  may  be  grown  successfully  as  far  north  as 
Nebraska  and  New  York,  but  in  these  sections  it  cannot 
be  regarded  as  more  than  a  garden  product. 

Soil  for  the  sweet  potato. 

Nearly  all  land  in  the  South  is  adapted  to  this  crop, 
but  clay  soil  is  not  as  good  as  loam.  The  opinion  that  rich 
land  is  not  suitable  is  a  mistake.  Some  of  the  very  best 
crops  have  been  raised  on  drained  muckland.  The  sweet 
potato  is  so  tolerant  that  it  is  difficult  to  find  land  that  will 
not  produce  a  fair  crop.  To  produce  a  large  crop,  warm 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         255 

sandy  soil  should  be  chosen,  well  fertilized  and  plowed 
deeply.  A  finer  grade  of  sweet  potato  for  table  use  may  be 
produced  by  plowing  shallow  and  using  less  fertilizer  or 
none  at  all. 

Fertilizer. 

The  proportion  of  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  as 
follows :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  7  per  cent ;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  800  to  1200 
pounds  to  the  acre.  If  the  soil  is  rich  in  nitrogenous 
matter,  less  of  this  element  should  be  used,  or  if  very  rich, 
it  should  be  omitted  altogether.  If  the  potatoes  are 
intended  for  table  use,  the  amount  of  fertilizer  should  be 
less  than  when  grown  for  stock  feed  or  for  shipping. 
Sulfate  of  potash  is  preferred  as  a  source  of  potash. 

The  following  quantities  of  fertilizers  will  give  the 
amounts  of  each  element  called  for  in  the  formula : 


Ammonia 


POUNDS  TO  THE  ACRE 

500  to  800  cottonseed  meal ,  or 
350  to  500  dried  blood ;  or 
200  to  300  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 
150  to  250  sulfate  of  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid 550  to  800  acid  phosphate. 

150  to  225  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 

Potash 200  to  300  nitrate  of  potash ;  or 

500  to  700  cottonseed  hull  ashes. 

Propagation  of  the  sweet  potato. 

To  obtain  early  sets,  or  "draws,"  in  subtropical  climates, 
the  whole  potatoes  should  be  placed  in  a  hotbed  or  cold- 
frame  and  covered  with  an  inch  of  soil,  six  or  seven  weeks 


256  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

before  the  young  plants  are  wanted.  By  pushing  the 
sets  ahead  in  a  hotbed,  one  will  have  new  potatoes  at 
least  a  month  earlier  than  by  waiting  for  them  to  sprout 
in  the  field.  The  early  crop  will  be  found  to  be  among 
the  most  profitable  for  shipping ;  if  the  crop  is  wanted  for 
home  consumption,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  make  a  bed  in 
the  open  from  which  to  obtain  sets.  The  amount  of  space 
required  in  a  hotbed  for  a  bushel  of  potatoes  varies  from 
9  to  32  square  feet,  depending  on  the  size  of  the  potatoes 
used.  The  number  of  these  plants  required  for  an  acre  is 
from  5000  to  12,000,  varying  with  the  locality  and  the 
character  of  the  soil. 

For  repeated  "drawing/'  l£  to  2  bushels  of  small  po- 
tatoes, or  4  to  10  bushels  of  large  ones  are  required  to  give 
sets  enough  to  plant  an  acre.  Double  that  quantity  will 
give  enough  sets  at  one  drawing  to  plant  an  acre. 

The  main  crop  of  sweet  potatoes  is  grown  by  vine  cut- 
tings from  an  early  patch  planted  by  "  sets." 

Preparation  of  the  land  for  sweet  potato,  and  transplanting. 

Nearly  all  of  the  crop  is  planted  out  on  ridges  to  allow 
of  drainage,  but  it  is  a  question  whether  this  is  the  most 
desirable  method  on  sandy  land.  For  an  extensive  crop 
the  plants  may  be  set  in  checks ;  this  requires  fewer  plants 
to  an  acre  and  gives  a  smaller  yield,  but  it  does  away 
with  most  or  all  of  the  hoeing,  which  is  an  expensive 
operation. 

The  labor  of  transplanting  is  an  important  item  of 
expense,  and  if  this  could  be  reduced  it  would  largely  in- 
crease the  acreage.  The  transplanting  machine  is  some- 
times used  for  this  crop. 


PLATE  XIII.  —  BIG  BOSTON  HEAD  LETTUCE  IN  LONGITUDE  SECTION, 
above ;  below,  Disc  CULTIVATOR  IN  SWEET  POTATO  FIELD. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         257 

An  inexpensive  and  efficient  way  of  preparing  the  land 
is  shown  in  the  illustration  (Plate  XIII).  The  beds  are 
thrown  up  with  a  two-horse  disk  cultivator.  The  vine 
cuttings  are  dropped  at  proper  intervals.  The  vines  are 
then  pushed  three  or  four  inches  deep  into  the  loose  soil. 
A  flat  stick  three  or  four  feet  long  will  be  found  convenient 
for  this  purpose.  Either  an  end  or  the  middle  of  the  vine 
is  pushed  in  the  soil,  according  to  the  wishes  of  the  planter. 
The  rows  should  be  made  3^  to  4  feet  apart  and  the 
plants  set  15  to  18  inches  in  the  row.  If  the  crop  is  to  be 
checked,  the  plants  should  be  placed  3^  by  3^  feet,  or  for 
the  smaller  kinds  2|  by  2|  feet. 

Cultivation. 

The  soil  should  be  stirred  often  enough  to  keep  it  loose 
and  free  from  weeds.  If  many  and  heavy  rains  fall,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  cultivate  oftener  than  when  there  is 
only  a  moderate  amount  of  rain.  All  cultivation  should  be 
shallow  and  no  vines  covered.  After  the  vines  begin 
to  run,  it  may  be  necessary  to  raise  them  with  a  pronged 
hook,  or  an  attachment  to  the  cultivator.  Such  a  device 
may  be  made  of  ^-inch  round  iron  about  4  feet  long ;  this 
iron  is  bent  into  the  shape  of  a  letter  J  and  a  loop  or  eye 
made  at  the  end  of  the  long  arm.  It  is  attached  to  the 
cultivator  by  passing  a  half-inch  bolt  through  the  eye 
and  through  the  beam.  The  short  arm  of  the  bent  iron 
is  placed  down,  and  by  varying  the  amounts  of  curvature, 
and  having  the  point  more  or  less  sharp,  it  will  run  under 
the  vines  and  raise  them  out  of  the  way.  Some  adjusting 
is  necessary  to  adapt  it  to  the  particular  implement  and 
to  the  particular  field.  (See  lower  figure,  Plate  XIII.) 


258  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Storing. 

The  harvesting  of  sweet  potatoes  is  a  simple  operation ; 
the  vines  being  removed,  a  man  plows  the  crop  out  with  a 
large  two-horse  plow.  It  is  necessary  to  set  the  plow  deep 
enough  and  to  have  one  wide  enough  to  turn  the  hills  out 
completely ;  a  small  plow  and  a  shallow  furrow  will  cause 
too  many  potatoes  to  be  cut.  In  a  sandy  loam  there  is 
little  else  left  to  do  than  to  pick  up  the  crop. 

The  storing  may  be  done  in  houses  or  banks.  A  sweet 
potato  house  may  be  built  of  planks  covered  with  sod  and 
the  cracks  filled  with  clay.  The  temperature  should 
remain  as  low  as  possible  without  freezing ;  there  are  only 
occasional  days  when  it  will  be  cold  enough  to  freeze,  but 
as  they  are  liable  to  occur  every  winter,  one  must  prepare 
for  them  as  though  they  occurred  more  frequently. 

A  dry  place  should  be  selected,  as  convenient  and  as 
safe  as  possible.  If  the  spot  does  not  shed  water,  a  bed 
of  corn-stalks  about  8  feet  wide  and  as  long  as  desired 
should  be  made.  The  potatoes  are  piled  on  this  bed  in 
an  A-shaped  pile  about  six  feet  high.  This  pile  is  packed 
with  corn-stalks,  rice  straw,  or  boards,  and  covered  with 
loam  to  the  depth  of  4  to  6  inches.  If  straw  is  used,  a 
layer  should  be  packed  around  the  base  of  the  pile,  then 
another  higher  up,  and  so  on;  this  will  cause  it  to  turn 
water  out.  In  banking  the  soil,  the  same  method  should 
be  followed.  A  number  of  ventilators  should  be  made  of 
boards.  These  should  be  perforated  with  auger-holes, 
and  run  through  the  central  part  of  the  heap.  They 
should  be  so  fixed  that  the  rain  cannot  enter  through  them. 

A  small  quantity  of  sweet  potatoes  may  be  kept  by 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         259 

placing  them  in  dry  sand  or  dry  cottonseed  hulls  and 
keeping  in  a  cool  place.  These  methods  may  be  used  to 
keep  them  over  from  the  time  of  taking  out  of  the  bank 
until  new  ones  come  on.  The  cooler  the  storage  of  sweet 
potatoes  without  freezing,  the  better  they  will  keep.  Just 
after  they  are  put  into  piles,  there  will  be  a  period  of  sweat- 
ing ;  during  this  time  the  temperature  is  liable  to  run  up  to 
80°  F.,  but  no  trouble  need  be  anticipated  from  this  source. 

Marketing. 

Sweet  potatoes  for  shipping  should  be  graded  into  two 
or  three  grades.  They  are  shipped  in  double-headed 
ventilated  barrels,  holding  eleven  pecks.  The  yam 
varieties  of  sugary  sweet  potato  are  becoming  somewhat 
more  popular  in  the  northern  markets  in  the  spring. 

Uses. 

Sweet  potatoes  can  be  easily  dried  in  an  evaporator 
after  boiling  and  slicing,  and  there  is  some  demand  for 
the  carmed  article. 

One  of  the  mot  promising  uses  is  to  feed  to  stock.  The 
vines  may  also  be  used  as  hay. 

Enemies. 

The  worst  insect  enemy  of  the  sweet  potato  is  the  root- 
borer  or  weevil.  This  is  found  throughout  the  tropics 
and  is  spreading  in  some  of  the  Gulf  states.  It  may  be 
checked  by  the  destruction  of  all  infested  potatoes  and  by 
change  of  land. 

The  black-rot  is  one  of  the  worst  fungous  diseases.  It 
attacks  the  young  shoots  and  forms  brownish  patches  on 


260  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  potatoes.     It  is  spread  by  using  sets  from  diseased 
potatoes. 

The  liability  to  fungous  diseases  is  lessened  by  using 
only  cuttings  from  healthy  vines  to  plant  the  fields,  and 
by  practicing  rotation. 

Varieties  of  sweet  potatoes. 

The  varieties  that  give  a  very  large  yield  do  not  make, 
as  a  rule,  good  table  potatoes,  and  are  generally  grown  for 
stock-feeding. 

In  the  North  the  sweet  potato  is  usually  boiled  and  a 
dry  starchy  one  is  preferred ;  in  the  South  the  potato  is 
usually  baked  and  a  sugary  moist-fleshed  one  is  in  demand. 
Big-stem  Jersey,  Yellow  Jersey,  and  Red  Jersey  are  the 
most  extensively  grown  varieties  of  the  floury  type. 
The  moist  sugary  potatoes  are  usually  known  as  yam 
potatoes,  and  among  those  grown  for  table  use  are  Georgia 
Yam,  Pumpkin  Yam,  Southern  Queen,  and  Vineless. 
Triumph  and  Providence  are  favorites  in  Florida.  Nancy 
Hall  is  also  grown  extensively  there. 

There  are  about  a  hundred  varieties,  or  about  that 
many  different  names  occur  for  varieties.  The  term 
yam  should  be  omitted  whenever  practicable,  as  this 
refers  to  an  entirely  different  vegetable.  It  pays  to  raise 
some  mealy  early  varieties  for  shipping  north.  These 
always  bring  a  good  price,  but  are  usually  a  home-grown 
product,  because  southern  varieties  are  not  shipped  in. 

Bulletins. 

Fungus  Diseases  of  Sweet  Potatoes,  N.  J.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  76, 
1890. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots          261 

New  Method  of   Preserving   Sweet   Potatoes,    S.    C.  Exp.  Sta. 

Bulletin  71,  1902. 

Sweet  Potato  Experiments,  Ark.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  72,  1902. 
Diseases  of  Sweet  Potatoes,  Ala.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  135,  1906. 
Sweet  Potato  Borer,  Tex.  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  93,  1907. 
Sweet  Potatoes,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bulletin  324,  1908. 


JERUSALEM  ARTICHOKE 

This  vegetable  is  not  an  artichoke,  nor  does  it  come  from 
Jerusalem.  It  is  an  underground  tuber  belonging  to 
the  sunflower  family  (Helianthus  tuberosus)  and  is  a  native 
of  the  United  States,  where  it  was  grown  by  the  Indians. 
In  its  own  country  it  has  not  met  with  much  favor,  and 
is  disliked  as  a  vegetable  by  some.  But  the  varieties 
which  are  grown  in  Europe,  when  properly  cooked,  are 
liked  by  many,  as  an  agreeable  change  from  potatoes. 
It  is  grown  successfully  in  most  gardens  of  India  in  the 
hot  season,  and  is  appreciated  there.  From  its  early 
culture,  large  returns,  and  resistance  to  cold  or  heat, 
it  well  deserves  a  place  in  the  subtropical  or  tropical 
garden. 

It  is  propagated  from  the  tubers,  which  may  be  cut  up 
like  Irish  potatoes.  In  English  gardens,  with  rich  soil, 
it  is  usually  planted  early  in  the  spring  in  rows  about  3 
feet  apart,  the  sets  being  put  about  6  inches  deep  and  a 
foot  or  so  apart.  Its  flowers  rarely  appear  in  England, 
probably  from  the  shortness  of  the  summer.  In  India 
the  tubers  are  planted  in  May  and  the  crop  is  ready  in 
November.  The  flowers  should  be  removed  before  they 
form  seed.  As  soon  as  the  tubers  become  firm  and  large 
in  the  fall  they  may  be  used  for  cooking,  and  will  be  in 


262  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

good  condition  until  they  begin  to  sprout  in  the  spring. 
The  harvesting  may  be  done  by  plowing  out  the  row  and 
then  picking  up  the  tubers  that  are  in  sight.  A  harrow 
is  then  run  over  the  furrow  to  drag  out  as  many  more  as 
is  practicable.  Hogs  may  be  turned  into  the  field  to 
gather  what  is  left.  If  the  hogs  are  not  left  in  the  field 
too  long,  tubers  enough  will  be  left  to  produce  plants  for 
another  year,  but  these  will  not  be  in  rows,  so  they  can- 
not be  cultivated  as  before.  This  difficulty  may  be 
avoided  by  saving  tubers  enough  to  plant  the  field  again. 
The  tubers  may  be  stored  in  dry  earth. 


YAM 

Different  species  of  yam  (genus  Dioscorea)  grow  wild  or 
are  cultivated  throughout  the  tropical  belt,  and  even  in 
the  subtropical  regions  of  China  and  Japan.  They  have 
large  perennial  rootstocks  containing  much  starch  (seldom 
sugar).  From  these  arise  long  twining  vines  with  heart- 
shaped  leaves.  Some  varieties  of  sweet  potato  are  called 
"yams"  in  the  southern  United  States,  but  the  real  yams 
have  no  resemblance  to  the  sweet  potatoes.  Yams 
form  an  important  article  of  food  for  the  laboring  classes 
in  the  West  and  East  Indies,  and  the  best  varieties  are 
served  at  the  table  in  all  houses  where  the  potato  cannot 
be  obtained,  as  is  often  the  case. 

As  a  table  vegetable,  even  the  best  yams  are  inferior 
to  the  potato,  although  when  properly  cooked  they  make 
a  passable  substitute.  It  does  not  seem  likely  that  the 
yam  will  come  in  favor  at  any  northern  market  where  the 
potato  can  be  obtained,  except  perhaps  as  a  curiosity. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         263 

But  in  tropical  countries,  where  the  Irish  potato  can  only 
be  raised  on  the  mountains,  or  during  the  cool  season,  the 
best  kind  of  yams  should  find  a  place  in  the  vegetable 
garden.  Several  varieties  of  yam  have  the  advantage  over 
the  sweet  potato  as  a  staple  food  in  that  they  can  be  kept 
for  a  much  longer  period  out  of  ground  without  damage. 
Yams  are  also  easy  to  grow,  and  may  be  planted  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year  and  taken  up  from  the  ground  almost 
at  any  time  when  they  are  wanted,  so  that  a  constant 
supply  may  be  had.  They  form  the  staff  of  life  of  the 
negro  population  of  the  Antilles. 

The  yams  are  propagated  by  cutting  off  the  top  of 
the  rootstock  and  planting  it  again  with  the  attached 
vines ;  or  after  this  has  grown  for  a  few  months,  the  yam 
it  produces  is  cut  up  into  pieces  with  buds  on  each,  and 
these  pieces  used  for  a  new  crop ;  or  the  top  of  the  yam 
may  be  cut  at  once  into  "sets."  The  "sets"  are  planted 
several  in  a  hill  with  a  stake  to  climb  on,  at  6  to  8  feet 
apart,  or  are  allowed  to  trail  on  the  ground.  They  have 
been  found  to  give  better  returns  when  staked.  The 
yams  are  ready  in  seven  to  eleven  months.  Several 
yams  may  be  produced  by  one  plant,  and  according  to  the 
species  or  variety  may  weigh  from  a  few  ounces  to  a 
hundred  pounds  each.  The  produce  may  be  a  dozen 
tons  to  the  acre. 

The  white  or  square-stemmed  yam  is  the  most  exten- 
sively grown,  and  there  are  many  varieties  of  it,  some  with 
purple  flesh. 

The  small  yam  from  South  America,  called  cushcush, 
with  three-lobed  leaves,  is  one  of  the  best  to  use  as  a  table 
vegetable.  There  are  a  hundred  or  more  other  species 


264  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

and  varieties  cultivated,  or  dug  in  the  forests,  throughout 
the  tropics. 

The  Chinese  yam  will  endure  a  severe  winter  and  is 
grown  as  an  ornamental  in  the  United  States  under  the 
name  of  "  cinnamon  vine."  This,  like  the  Japanese  yam, 
bears  tubers  above-ground  in  the  leaf-axils,  by  which 
it  may  be  propagated. 

It  is  possible  that  the  coarser  kinds  of  yam  might  be 
used  as  food  for  stock  in  tropical  and  subtropical  regions 
where  the  cost  of  labor  in  digging  them  was  not  too  high. 


RADISH 

Radishes  can  be  grown  well  in  the  cool  season  in  the 
tropical  belt,  if  they  can  be  provided  with  sufficient  water. 
In  the  hottest  weather  they  soon  become  acrid  and 
woody.  They  may  be  grown  under  slat  sheds. 

The  radish  is  one  of  the  most  easily  grown  vegetables 
known.  The  early  varieties  mature  in  a  remarkably 
short  time  and  under  a  low  temperature.  In  fact,  it  is 
so  easily  grown  that  there  is  usually  no  profit  in  raising 
it  for  distant  markets.  A  bed  6  by  12  feet  can  keep  a 
family  supplied  throughout  the  entire  season  for  the  crop. 
For  local  markets,  the  radish  is  a  favorite  crop  with  the 
market-gardeners ;  it  grows  rapidly,  costs  little,  and  sells 
well.  The  quickly  maturing  varieties  require  only  twenty 
to  thirty  days  and  remain  good  for  only  four  to  eight  days. 

Soil  and  preparation. 

A  light,  warm,  and  rich  soil  should  be  chosen  for  radishes. 
Water  is  needed  in  abundance,  but  the  land  must  not  be 


PLATE  XIV.  — ROOT  VEGETABLES. 

Left  top,  French  Breakfast  radish ;   right  top,  Long  Scarlet  radish ;  left 
bottom,  Rose  Turnip  radish ;  right  bottom,  Chantenay  carrot. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         265 

soggy.    The  particles  that  go  to  make  up  the  soil  should 
be  rather  coarser  than  for  the  average  garden  crop. 

All  rubbish  should  be  removed  and  the  soil  stirred  to  a 
moderate  depth.  The  land  should  be  raked  off  smoothly 
and  no  rough  and  undecomposed  material  should  remain 
on  the  plot. 

Fertilizer  for  radishes. 

The  proportion  of  fertilizer  ingredients  should  be  as 
follows:  ammonia,  3|  per  cent;  available  phosphoric 
acid,  7  per  cent;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  1000  pounds 
of  the  above  formula  to  the  acre.  This  fertilizer  should 
be  applied  in  the  drill,  and  worked  in  shallowly  for  the 
early  spring  radish,  but  deeply  for  the  summer  or  winter 
radish. 

The  following  will  give  the  amounts  of  fertilizer  to 
apply  to  secure  the  desired  quantity  of  each  element : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACHE 


Ammonia 


350  to     500  cottonseed  meal ;  or 
200  to     300  dried  blood ;  or 
130  to     200  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 


100  to     150  sulfate  of  ammonia. 
Phosphoric  acid  .     .    500  to    700  acid  phosphate. 

900  to  1300kainit;  or 
p       ,                            120  to     180  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

'     125  to     200  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash;  or 
230  to    340  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

Sowing  and  cultivation. 

The  early  varieties  should  be  sown  in  very  rich  warm 
loam,  three  or  four  weeks  before  they  are  wanted.    A  seed- 


266  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

bed  or  coldframe  is  to  Jbe  recommended.  The  seed  should 
be  sown  in  drills  about  3  inches  apart,  dropped  an  inch 
apart  in  the  row  and  covered  about  half  an  inch  deep. 
The  soil  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  dry  from  the 
time  the  seed  is  sown  as  it  is  liable  to  make  the  radishes 
pithy. 

Only  a  slight  amount  of  cultivation  is  required.  Weeds 
may  be  kept  down  by  pulling  as  they  appear. 

The  summer  varieties  should  be  sowed  in  drills  12  to 
18  inches  apart,  and  about  1  inch  apart  in  the  row,  and 
the  seed  covered  about  an  inch  deep.  The  soil  requires 
stirring  about  twice  as  often  as  for  ordinary  crops.  It 
sometimes  happens  that  the  plants  come  to  a  standstill 
in  growth;  in  such  a  case,  some  liquid  manure  or  nitrate 
of  soda  should  be  applied  along  the  row. 

The  winter  varieties  should  be  sown  in  rows  about  18 
inches  apart,  and  thinned  out  to  about  2  inches  in  the  row. 
These  varieties  require  a  long  time  to  mature,  and  there- 
fore should  be  sown  in  November  or  December,  or  some 
may  be  sown  as  early  as  October.  The  cultivation  is  the 
same  as  for  summer  radish. 

Marketing  radishes. 

For  marketing  radishes,  the  bunches  are  made  about 
four  inches  in  diameter.  The  roots  are  washed  clean  of  all 
adhering  soil,  and  are  turned  up  so  as  to  show  the  clear 
scarlet  and  white  color.  Radishes  make  a  fine  display 
for  marketing.  For  distant  market  they  are  packed  in 
bunches  of  about  a  dozen  each,  most  of  the  leaves  being 
removed,  in  half-barrel  veneer  baskets,  or  in  barrels  with 
ice. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         267 


A  variety  of  radish  that  grows  well  on  a  particular  soil 
and  sells  well  in  the  market  ought  to  be  grown  to  seed  by 
the  gardener.  The  finest  radishes  should  be  selected  and 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  place  where  they  were  grown, 
As  soon  as  the  flowering  stalk  has  reached  a  height  of 
eighteen  inches,  a  strong  stake  should  be  driven  down 
beside  the  radish  and  the  seed-stalk  tied  to  this.  Care 
is  necessary  to  remove  the  stalks  as  they  ripen,  or  birds 
are  liable  to  become  troublesome.  The  stalks  must  be 
hung  up  away  from  mice  and  rats,  and  when  all  are  dry 
the  seed  may  be  beaten  out.  After  beating,  the  seed  may 
be  winnowed  and  packed  in  dry  bottles  for  seeding  time. 

Varieties  of  radishes. 

There  are  numerous  varieties,  or  so-called  varieties,  of 
radishes,  many  of  which  differ  imperceptibly  from  one 
another.  The  favorite  shipping  variety  in  south  Texas 
is  the  Scarlet  White-Tipped.  Among  the  early  spring 
forms  are  French  Breakfast,  Scarlet  Globe,  and  Early 
Scarlet,  as  good  varieties.  For  the  South,  the  varieties 
that  grow  larger  and  for  which  more  time  is  required  are 
better.  Among  this  class  are  Long  Scarlet,  Chartier, 
Glass,  Large  White  Summer,  and  Large  Yellow  Summer, 
as  good  varieties.  (See  Plate  XIV.) 

The  scarlet  varieties  usually  sell  better  than  the  white  or 
yellow  ones,  but  for  home  use  there  is  probably  no  choice. 

The  winter  varieties  grow  larger  and  require  more  time 
for  growth.  These  are  favorites  in  the  South,  especially 
the  scarlet  varieties.  For  marketing,  the  following  are 


268 


Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 


good:  White  Spanish,  Scarlet  Chinese,  and  Celestial. 
The  Long  Black  Spanish  and  Round  Black  Spanish  are 
good  in  some  markets  and  for  home  use. 

COMPARISON  OP  VARIETIES  OF  RADISH  GROWN  IN  THE  OPEN 
GARDEN 


o 

|1 

SHAPE 

SIZE 

COLOB 

•< 

Q 

Early  White  Turnip     .     .     . 

36 

round 

large 

white 

Early  Scarlet  Turnip   .     .     . 

33 

round 

large 

scarlet,  white  tip 

White-tipped  Scarlet  Turnip 

31 

round 

medium 

scarlet,  white  tip 

Beckert's  Chartier  .     .     . 

35 

long 

large 

scarlet 

Rapid  Forcing    .... 

31 

round 

large 

scarlet 

Wood's  Early  Frame  .     . 

36 

long 

medium 

scarlet 

Long  White  Vienna     .     . 

36 

long 

medium 

white 

Long  Brightest  Scarlet     . 

36 

long 

medium 

red,  white-tipped 

Crimson  Giant    .... 

31 

oval 

large 

crimson 

Early  Round  Dark  Red  . 

36 

round 

medium 

scarlet 

Long  Scarlet  Short  Top   . 

36 

long 

medium 

scarlet 

White  Stuttgart  Summer 

36 

round 

medium 

white 

Triumph    

31 

round 

small 

white,  scarlet-streaked 

Scarlet  Globe-Shaped  .     . 

31 

round 

medium 

scarlet 

White  Naples      .... 

36 

round 

medium 

white 

Long  White  Icicle  .      .     . 

36 

long 

medium 

white 

Scarlet  Chinese  Winter     . 

38 

long 

medium 

scarlet 

Early  Deep-Scarlet  Turnip   . 

31 

round 

medium 

scarlet 

French  Breakfast    .... 

33 

oblong 

medium 

red 

Deep  Blood-Red      .... 

33 

round 

medium 

red 

Non  Plus  Ultra        .... 

36 

round 

medium 

red 

Scarlet  Gem        

31 

round 

medium 

scarlet 

White  Strasburg      .... 

35 

long 

very  small 

white 

Rose  Turnip        

31 

round 

scarlet 

Red  Forcing        

31 

round 

medium 

red 

Early  Scarlet  Globe     .     .     . 

36 

round 

medium 

scarlet 

TURNIP 


Turnips  can  be  grown  for  the  table  in  the  intertropical 
belt  in  the  cool  season,  if  regularly  supplied  with  water. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         269 

In  a  hot  climate  they  often  become  strong-tasting.  The 
varieties  used  in  Europe  for  forcing  under  glass  in  winter 
are  said  to  do  well  in  tropical  climates,  and  plants  grown 
from  acclimated  seed  have  been  found  to  give  best  results. 
In  subtropical  countries  turnips  are  grown  in  the  fall, 
winter,  and  spring. 

This  crop  is  so  easily  grown  that  it  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  discuss  it  from  that  point  of  view,  yet  it  is  not  appre- 
ciated as  it  ought  to  be.  Turnips  cannot  be  recommended 
as  a  crop  to  be  shipped  to  distant  markets  in  large 
quantities,  but  the  local  markets  and  southern  cities  will 
use  a  considerable  quantity,  and  the  northern  markets 
take  bunched  turnips  packed  with  ice  in  the  winter. 

Soil  and  preparation. 

Newly  prepared,  or  what  is  often  called  raw  land,  will 
raise  a  crop,  if  it  is  not  too  badly  stocked  with  weeds. 
Muckland,  or  land  containing  much  nitrogenous  matter, 
should  be  avoided,  except  in  cases  where  the  product 
is  to  be  used  for  stock  feed.  Wet  or  soggy  land  will  not 
raise  a  crop,  but  on  the  whole  this  crop  has  a  much 
wider  range  in  the  matter  of  soil  and  moisture  than  most 
of  the  cultivated  plants. 

About  the  same  amounts  and  kind  of  fertilizer  that  are 
recommended  for  radish  should  be  used  for  turnips. 

If  the  land  is  heavy  or  inclined  to  be  hard,  it  should  be 
plowed  deeply,  but  a  light  loam  will  need  only  a  slight 
amount  of  stirring. 

Planting  and  cultivating. 

Turnip  seeds  are  best  sown  with  a  seed  drill.  They  may 
be  sown  by  hand,  but  this  is  not  satisfactory.  A  tin 


270  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

can,  with  a  hole  punched  in  the  bottom,  may  be  used  as  a 
make-shift  on  a  small  scale.  The  rows  should  be  made 
18  inches  to  2  feet  apart,  and  the  seed  sown  about  twice 
as  thick  as  the  plants  are  wanted  to  stand.  The  seed 
should  be  covered  J  inch  to  1  inch  deep.  When  the 
plants  are  4  or  5  inches  high,  thin  out,  so  as  to  give  them 
from  4  to  8  inches  each.  The  cultivation  needs  to  be 
sufficient  to  keep  the  ground  mellow  and  the  weeds  from 
growing. 

Marketing. 

Turnips  that  can  be  marketed  in  October  and  November 
meet  with  ready  sale  in  local  markets,  in  bunches  contain- 
ing five  to  eight  turnips  with  "greens."  Later,  the  greens 
are  not  wanted,  and  the  turnips  are  marketed  like  potatoes. 
In  the  winter  and  spring  they  are  sent  to  the  northern 
markets  bunched,  with  ice  in  the  barrel. 

Varieties  of  turnip. 

The  field  varieties  may  be  used  in  the  kitchen  if  taken 
before  they  mature.  After  they  are  full  grown  they  be- 
come too  coarse-grained ;  this  may  be  changed  somewhat 
by  withholding  the  nitrogen  in  the  fertilizer.  Early 
White  Flat  Dutch  is  an  old  and  standard  variety.  Scarlet 
Kashmyr  is  a  good  early  variety  for  quick  growing. 
Early  White  Egg  is  good  for  an  early  crop.  Early  Milan 
and  Purple  Top  White  Globe  are  also  favorites. 

RUTABAGA 

Rutabaga  is  also  called  the  Swedish  turnip.  There  are 
only  a  few  points  in  which  it  differs  from  the  turnip.  It 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         271 

usually  has  denser  yellow  flesh  and  takes  longer  to  mature. 
The  roots  can  stand  the  long  summer  heat  without  becom- 
ing acrid  or  woody,  and  while  they  cannot  be  considered 
a  delicate  dish,  they  fill  an  important  gap  that  would 
otherwise  occur  in  the  kitchen  garden  of  the  South. 
A  good  kind  is  the  Purple  Top  rutabaga.  For  a  summer 
crop,  the  seed  should  be  sown  in  winter  or  spring.  For 
other  points  regarding  this  vegetable,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  account  of  the  turnip.  The  rutabaga  is 
more  grown  as  a  stock  feed  than  as  a  vegetable. 


BEET 

Beets  can  readily  be  grown  for  table  use  in  the  cool 
season  in  tropical  and  even  in  equatorial  regions,  if  suffi- 
cient water  is  provided  to  insure  continuous  growth. 
Beets  are  grown,  for  shipping  to  northern  markets,  during 
the  winter,  in  the  Gulf  states.  They  ship  well,  and  are 
in  fairly  constant  demand  in  the  winter  months.  Two 
crops  are  sometimes  raised  on  the  same  land  between 
October  and  May. 

Soil  and  preparation. 

Beets  require  a  moist  soil.  One  that  would  be  con- 
sidered too  damp  for  the  usual  garden  crops  will  raise  a 
good  crop  of  beets ;  of  course,  a  cold,  clammy  soil  should 
be  avoided.  They  grow  well  under  irrigation.  Drained 
land  makes  an  excellent  beet  field,  provided  the  amount 
of  nitrogen  in  it  is  comparatively  small. 

The  land  should  be  plowed  deeply  and  harrowed  to  a 
level. 


272  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Fertilizer  for  beets. 

Fertilizer  ingredients  in  the  following  proportions  should 
be  applied  to  beet  land  :  ammonia,  5  per  cent ;  available 
phosphoric  acid,  6  per  cent ;  potash,  9  per  cent.  Use  at 
the  rate  of  600  to  1000  pounds  of  the  above  formula  to  an 
acre.  When  beets  are  raised  for  sugar,  sulfate  of  potash, 
free  from  chlorine,  is  used  as  a  source  of  potash. 

The  following  ingredients  will  give  the  desired  amounts 
for  one  acre : 

POUNDS  TO  THE  ACHE 


Ammonia    .     .     .     . 


400  to  650  cottonseed  meal ;  or 

250  to  400  dried  blood ;  or 

160  to  275  nitrate  of  soda ;  or 

130  to  200  sulfate  of  ammonia. 


Phosphoric  acid  .     .    360  to     600  acid  phosphate. 

800  to  1300kainit;  or 

p       ,  100  to  180  muriate  of  potash ;  or 

*     110  to  190  high-grade  sulfate  of  potash ;  or 

200  to  350  low-grade  sulfate  of  potash. 

The  fertilizer  should  be  applied  along  the  row,  and 
worked  in  thoroughly  a  week  or  ten  days  before  the  seed 
is  planted. 

Seeding  and  cultivating  beets. 

The  rows  should  be  made  18  inches  or  2  feet  apart, 
and  the  seed  sown  about  three  times  as  thick  as  the  seed- 
lings are  wanted  to  stand.  While  the  seed  rarely  fails 
altogether,  it  does  not  come  up  evenly;  so  it  should  be 
sown  thickly,  and  cut  out  to  make  a  good  stand.  Seeding 
is  best  done  by  a  seed  drill.  When  the  plants  are  about  an 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         273 

inch  high,  they  should  be  thinned  out  to  about  3  inches 
apart  in  the  row.  If  the  land  is  strong,  two  rows  may  be 
drilled,  about  4  inches  apart  in  place  of  one  row;  or  if 
the  seed  is  sown  by  hand,  a  drill  about  5  inches  wide  may 
be  made  and  the  seed  scattered  along  this.  The  seed 
should  be  covered  from  f  to  1  inch  deep,  depending  on  the 
soil  and  amount  of  moisture. 

Soon  after  the  seedlings  are  up,  there  is  a  period  during 
which  they  make  no  apparent  progress,  especially  if  the 
weather  is  unfavorable.  If  the  temperature  is  at  the 
freezing  point,  it  is  well  not  to  force  the  plantlets ;  but 
during  warm  weather  an  application  of  liquid  manure  or 
a  solution  of  nitrate  of  soda  will  hasten  them  over  this 
stage. 

Cultivating  should  all  be  done  with  a  wheel-hoe  or  a 
horse  cultivator;  avoid  using  a  hand  hoe  as  it  is  slow 
and  expensive.  The  soil  should  be  kept  loose,  so  that  the 
fleshy  roots  have  room  to  form  in  the  ground.  As  the 
tap-root  goes  down  straight  and  deep,  there  is  no  danger 
of  disturbing  it  while  cultivating. 

It  is  usually  unprofitable  to  transplant  beets  for  the 
market ;  therefore  it  should  not  be  practiced,  except 
when  it  is  known  that  the  product  will  sell  well,  or  for 
home  use. 

Marketing. 

Beets  may  be  marketed  as  soon  as  they  are  two  or  more 
inches  across.  They  should  be  pulled,  and  the  leaves 
cut  an  inch  or  more  from  the  fleshy  root.  If  the  leaves 
are  cut  too  close,  the  roots  lose  more  moisture  than  they 
otherwise  would,  and  hence  appear  in  the  market  wilted. 


274  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

If  the  beets  are  to  be  bunched,  the  tops  are  left  on,  the 
outer  leaves  only  being  removed ;  or  the  tops  are  cut  to 
six  inches  and  the  beets  tied  in  bunches  of  three  to  six. 

The  ordinary  vegetable  crate  or  even  a  barrel  will  be 
found  desirable  for  use  for  marketing,  although  ventilated 
barrels  and  veneer  baskets  are  often  used. 

In  the  vicinity  of  a  pickling  establishment  small  varieties 
of  beets  may  be  raised,  or  the  thinning  out  may  be  delayed 
until  the  roots  can  be  used  for  pickling. 

Varieties  of  beets. 

Extra  Early  Eclipse,  and  Extra  Early  Egyptian  are 
good  varieties  for  shipping.  Extra  Early  Bastian  is  a 
good  early  beet.  Electric  is  also  a  favorite  shipping  sort. 
As  a  rule,  the  turnip-shaped  varieties  are  preferred  in 
the  northern  markets;  as  to  color,  the  market  prefers  a 
deep  red.  There  are  other  varieties  worthy  of  mention 
and  desirable  for  home  use. 

The  varieties  used  for  making  sugar  and  for  feeding  to 
stock  are  large  and  coarse-grained,  and,  consequently, 
not  valuable  for  a  garden  crop. 

CARROT 

Carrots  may  be  grown  as  readily  as  turnips  in  the  cool 
season  of  most  tropical  and  subtropical  countries.  They 
take  three,  four,  or  five  months  to  mature. 

This  root  crop  may  be  shipped  to  a  distant  market 
without  danger  of  loss.  Vegetable-growers  should  raise 
and  ship  a  few  crates,  bunched  with  leaves,  and  re- 
frigerated during  April  and  May.  The  carrot  is  also  an 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         275 

excellent  crop  to  raise  for  home  use.  The  nutritive  ratio 
is  high  for  vegetables  and  the  taste  pleasant.  If  one  has 
planted  more  carrots  than  are  needed,  they  may  be  fed 
to  horses,  cows,  or  hogs  to  good  advantage. 

The  vegetable  is  a  good  keeper  and  the  northern  markets 
are  stocked  with  the  old  crop  until  growing  season  in  the 
spring  —  April  or  May.  New  carrots  are  to  be  found 
in  the  New  York  markets,  however,  during  the  late 
winter  months. 

Soil  and  preparation. 

A  deep,  rich,  dark-colored  loam  is  usually  chosen  for 
this  crop,  when  grown  extensively.  It  will  make  good 
roots  on  sandy  loam  or  even  on  a  light  clay  soil,  but  the 
ground  must  be  mellow.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  land 
should  be  rich  in  nitrogenous  matter,  but  it  should  con- 
tain a  good  supply  of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash.  A  wet 
soil  will  not  raise  a  good  crop. 

The  land  should  be  plowed  deeply  and  all  rubbish  re- 
moved, especially  undecomposed  vegetable  matter. 

Fertilizer  for  carrots. 

The  following  fertilizer  proportions  should  be  used: 
ammonia,  3  per  cent;  available  phosphoric  acid,  7  per 
cent;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  from  600  to  900  pounds 
of  the  above  formula  on  ordinary  land.  If  the  land  is 
rich  in  nitrogenous  matter,  less  nitrogen  can  be  used 
or  it  may  be  omitted  altogether. 

^  The  fertilizer  should  be  mixed  thoroughly  with  the  soil 
and  worked  in  more  deeply  than  usual. 


276  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

Sowing  and  cultivation  of  carrots. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  with  a  drill,  in  rows  about  18 
inches  apart,  and  covered  about  ^  inch  deep.  About 
three  times  as  many  seeds  should  be  sown  as  plants  are 
wanted,  and  when  the  plants  are  an  inch  high,  the  inferior 
ones  should  be  trimmed  out,  leaving  the  others  to  stand 
from  two  to  four  inches  in  the  row. 

The  time  of  sowing  will  depend  upon  the  variety  in  hand. 
The  later  and  longer  ones  should  be  sown  in  October,  the 
earlier  ones  in  November,  and  the  very  earliest  ones  about 
the  first  of  December.  The  seed  is  rather  slow  to  germinate, 
so  a  few  seeds  of  cabbage,  radish,  or  turnips  should  be 
mixed  with  it  to  indicate  the  rows  before  the  carrot  seed- 
lings are  visible. 

The  soil  should  be  kept  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation, 
and  plowing  should  begin  before  the  seed  is  up.  The 
plowing  should  be  deep  and  close  to  the  rows,  except  during 
dry  weather,  when  plowing  should  be  shallow  and  frequent 
enough  to  keep  the  land  mellow. 

Marketing. 

The  young  or  spring  crop  is  marketed  with  the  leaves  on, 
as  it  thus  brings  a  higher  price.  The  carrots  are  washed, 
the  large  and  dry  leaves  removed,  and  about  six  tied  in  a 
bunch.  Marketing  is  usually  done  in  boxes  or  barrels, 
but  good  crates  would  be  preferable.  Refrigeration  may 
be  required  for  long  distance  shipping  in  the  spring. 

Varieties  of  carrots. 

Early  Scarlet  Horn,  Oxheart,  and  Half  Long  Nantes 
are  favorite  varieties  of  orange-colored  and  early  carrots ; 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots          277 

Danvers  and  Chantenay  (Plate  XIV)  are  also  recommended. 
Long  Orange  and  Large  White  Belgian  will  prove  more 
vigorous,  and  are  generally  grown  for  stock  feed ;  therefore 
they  should  not  be  sown  in  the  market-garden  except 
when  there  are  facilities  for  marketing  the  half-grown  crop. 


PARSNIP 

The  parsnip  can  be  raised  in  the  cool  season  in  sub- 
tropical and  the  cooler  tropical  countries,  although  beets 
or  carrots  are  usually  preferred  since  they  can  be  grown 
in  less  time. 

Many  persons  enjoy  the  taste  of  parsnips  from  the  first 
trial.  Others  acquire  a  liking  for  them,  while  only  a  few 
do  not  relish  them.  It  is  not  advisable  to  use  them  for 
stock  feed,  although  it  is  sometimes  done.  The  parsnip 
is  not  a  good  vegetable  to  be  grown  for  distant  markets, 
but  should  be  raised  for  home  use  and  local  markets. 

Soil  and  preparation. 

The  native  habitat  of  the  parsnip  is  in  moist  or  swampy 
places,  and  here  it  grows  "all  to  top"  and  produces  only  a 
small  root;  but  with  the  transfer  to  dry  uplands  comes 
an  increased  size  of  root.  A  dry,  deep  loam  should  be 
selected  and  prepared  as  deeply  as  the  implements  and 
soil  will  permit  and  the  fertilizer  worked  in  deeply. 

Fertilizer  for  parsnips. 

Fertilizer  in  the  following  proportions  should  be  applied : 
ammonia,  3^  per  cent ;  available  phosphoric  acid,  9  per 
cent ;  potash,  8  per  cent.  Use  from  600  to  900  pounds  of 


278  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

the  above  formula  in  the  drills.  One  should  be  sure  that 
it  is  worked  in  deeply  and  thoroughly.  A  good  way  will 
be  to  run  out  a  deep  double  furrow  where  the  row  is  to 
be,  apply  a  portion  of  the  fertilizer,  and  mix  thoroughly 
with  enough  soil  to  fill  about  one-third  of  the  furrow; 
then  add  some  more  fertilizer  and  mix  in  more  soil; 
continue  this  mixing  until  all  the  fertilizer  has  been  used, 
when  the  row  should  be  a  little  above  the  general  level. 
If  the  flat  or  turnip-shaped  varieties  are  planted,  the  prep- 
aration and  fertilizer  need  not  be  so  deep. 

Sowing  and  cultivating  parsnips. 

Seed  should  be  sown  during  September,  October  and 
November.  The  earliest  sowing  will  allow  the  plants  to 
mature  by  the  first  of  January.  The  summer  crop  has 
not  met  with  so  much  success.  There  is  no  danger  of 
the  young  plants  being  frozen.  The  rows  should  be  made 
18  inches  or  2  feet  apart  and  thinned  to  4  inches  in  the 
row.  The  seed  is  a  little  slow  to  germinate,  so  it  will  be 
well  to  add  some  radish  or  turnip  seed  to  mark  the  row. 

The  cultivation  is  best  carried  on  by  horse  implements 
after  the  plants  are  about  four  or  five  inches  high.  When 
the  roots  are  about  a  foot  long  and  an  inch  in  diameter, 
they  will  be  found  sufficiently  mature  to  use.  Parsnips 
are  marketed  in  barrels,  very  much  as  potatoes.  The 
preparation  for  table  use  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  potatoes. 

Varieties. 

The  improved  Hollow  Crown,  or  Sugar,  and  Student  are 
good  long  varieties  of  parsnip ;  the  first  named  is  the  larger 
and  longer. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         279 


SALSIFY  OR  OYSTER  PLANT 

Salsify  can  be  raised  in  the  outer  parts  of  the  tropical 
belt.  The  demand  for  this,  the  vegetable  oyster,  is 
continually  increasing.  While  it  will  not  be  in  great 
demand  for  home  consumption,  it  is  still  a  good  plant  to 
raise,  as  it  sells  readily  and  can  stand  shipping.  The  seed 
is  difficult  to  save  on  account  of  birds  destroying  it. 

This  seed  should  be  sown  in  the  fall  or  during  the  winter. 
The  cultivation  and  preparation  of  the  soil  are  much  the 
same  as  for  the  usual  root  crops.  A  sandy  loam  is 
preferred.  The  rows  are  about  2  feet  apart,  and  the 
plants  thinned  to  4  or  6  inches  in  the  row. 

For  market  the  large  tap-root  is  dug  up,  and,  with  the 
leaves,  is  washed  and  trimmed.  Six  or  eight  usually 
make  a  bunch.  It  is  used  mostly  in  the  North  during 
the  winter  and  early  spring.  A  good  market  for  this 
vegetable  can  be  opened  by  growing  it  in  the  South  so 
that  it  can  be  offered  for  sale  during  May  and  June,  after 
the  fresh  oyster  can  no  longer  be  obtained.  Sandwich 
Island  Mammoth  is  one  of  the  best  varieties. 


DASHEEN   OR  TARO 

The  taro,  frequently  called  tanyah  in  Florida  (Colocasia 
antiquorum  var.  esculentum) ,  is  cultivated  in  most  tropical 
countries,  being  a  staple  food  in  the  Pacific  Islands. 
Varieties  of  it  are  grown  in  India,  China,  and  Japan.  It 
may  readily  be  distinguished  from  tanier  by  the  leaf-stalk 
being  attached  near  the  middle,  not  at  the  base,  of  the 


280  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

blade.  In  some  varieties,  such  as  the  dasheens,  the 
root-stock  forms  many  side-tubers.  The  usual  method  of 
propagation  in  the  Pacific  Islands  and  in  some  parts  of 
the  West  Indies  is  to  cut  off  the  top  of  the  root  with  about 
six  inches  of  the  leaf-stalks,  and  plant  this.  In  India  the 
small  tubers  are  planted.  In  Florida  the  smaller  tubers 
are  usually  used  for  planting. 

The  distance  apart  varies  from  1  to  4  feet,  in  rows  4 
to  6  feet  apart,  according  to  variety.  The  crop  may 
require  nine  months  or  more  to  ripen,  according  to  the 
variety.  The  roots  can  be  left  for  some  time  in  the  ground, 
and  may  also  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  for  a  considerable 
time  after  digging.  On  irrigated  land  between  the 
tropics,  up  to  fifteen  tons  to  an  acre  are  grown  by  native 
methods.  The  plant,  however,  may  be  grown  without 
irrigation ;  although  it  requires  abundant  moisture  to  do 
well,  it  does  not  do  well  in  swampy  lands.  The  general 
methods  of  cultivation  and  fertilization  applied  to  potatoes 
will  be  found  applicable.  After  the  leaves  shade  the 
ground  completely,  which  usually  occurs  in  summer,  no 
further  cultural  attention  will  be  requried.  Taro  has 
been  grown  successfully  in  southern  California  and  in 
Florida,  and  it  is  a  useful  garden  vegetable  in  tropical 
and  subtropical  regions.  In  the  tropics  it  may  be  planted 
at  almost  any  time,  and  in  the  subtropical  regions  at  the 
end  of  the  cool  season.  (See  Plate  XV.) 

In  parts  of  Florida  one  variety  commonly  called  tanyah 
has  escaped  from  cultivation.  In  earlier  times  it  was  used 
as  food  by  the  Indians,  and  later  collected  for  shipment  to 
the  North,  where  the  tubers  commanded  a  good  price 
for  use  as  ornamentals. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         281 

Uses  of  dasheen. 

Much  attention  has  been  given  to  dasheens  by  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Different 
varieties  have  been  extensively  introduced  throughout 
the  southern  states.  The  tubers,  when  cooked  like  pota- 
toes, form  a  very  appetizing  dish.  (See  Plate  XVI.) 
They  may  be  prepared  in  almost  all  ways  that  potatoes  are 
prepared.  In  preparing  for  use,  it  should  be  remembered 
that  the  tubers  and  leaves  are  decidedly  acrid.  To  prevent 
irritation  to  the  hands,  the  tubers  should  be  handled  in  water 
to  which  a  teaspoonful  of  salsoda  to  a  quart  has  been  added. 

The  young  leaves  when  well  cooked  make  a  good  vege- 
table for  greens. 

In  Hawaii,  taro  has  been  in  cultivation  since  before  the 
discovery  of  the  islands  by  the  Caucasian  race.  Poi  is  a 
favorite  dish  prepared  from  this  crop  and  may  in  a  general 
way  be  likened  to  oatmeal  or  grits  as  used  in  the  United 
States. 

Bulletins. 

Yautias,  Taros,  Dasheens,  Bur.  Plant  Ind.  Bulletin  164,  1910. 
The  Dasheen,  a  Root  Crop  for  the  Southern  States,  Bur.  Plant 
Ind.  Circular  127,  1913. 

TANIER  (Xanthosomd) 

Tanier  is  a  staple  vegetable  in  the  West  Indies  and  the 
neighboring  parts  of  Central  and  South  America.  It  is 
one  of  the  aroid  family,  and  is  allied  to  dasheen.  It  is 
called  yautia  in  Porto  Rico.  It  is  sometimes  confused 
with  the  taro,  but  can  be  easily  distinguished  by  its 


282  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

leafstalk  joining  the  leaf  blade  at  the  base  instead  of  near 
the  middle.  Most  varieties  have  no  stem  above  ground, 
and  the  height  of  leaves  and  leaf-stalks  varies  from  one  to 
eight  feet.  Most  tamers  produce  many  white,  yellow,  or 
pink  tubers  on  the  sides  of  the  main  root-stock,  and  it  is 
these  tubers  which  are  chiefly  used  for  food.  A  tuber 
may  weigh  up  to  two  pounds  or  more,  and  one  plant  may 
yield  over  four  pounds  of  tubers.  Many  varieties  also 
produce  abundant  suckers.  The  tanier  is  preferable 
to  the  taro  as  a  starch-producer,  and  rivals  the  cassava 
in  this  respect.  It  contains  about  the  same  amount  of 
carbohydrates  as  the  sweet  potato,  but  mainly  starch. 
One  of  the  best  varieties  is  the  tanier  with  white  tubers, 
called  Rolliza  in  Porto  Rico.  This  matures  its  crop  in 
about  eight  months  and  would  probably  be  valuable  for 
south  Florida,  and  other  subtropical  countries.  The 
tubers  keep  well  in  the  ground,  but  dry  up  in  the  air. 
They  are  eaten  boiled  or  baked,  like  Irish  potatoes. 
The  young  leaves  are  cooked  as  greens. 

The  tanier  is  usually  propagated  by  cutting  off  the  head 
of  the  rootstock  with  a  few  inches  of  the  leaf-stalks,  and 
using  these  as  sets.  It  may  also  be  reproduced  by  planting 
small  tubers,  or  by  cutting  up  the  main  root-stock  into 
pieces.  The  sets  may  be  planted  in  rows  4  to  6  feet  apart 
and  at  distances  of  l£  to  3  feet  in  the  row,  according  to 
the  variety.  This  would  give  from  2400  to  7000  plants 
approximately  to  the  acre.  The  yield  may  be  as  much  as 
seven  to  fifteen  tons  to  the  acre  in  good  soil. 

Bulletin. 

The  Yautias  or  Taniers,  Porto  Rico  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  6,  1905. 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots         283 


HORSE-RADISH 

Horse-radish  has  been  grown  in  the  cool  season  or  at  an 
elevation  in  tropical  lands.  It  has  not  been  grown  to  a 
large  extent  in  the  southern  United  States.  It  requires  a 
deep,  rich,  sandy  soil,  and  is  usually  planted  as  a  by-crop. 
It  is  worthy  of  a  test  in  each  locality,  but  no  one  should 
invest  in  this  crop  without  knowing  that  it  will  succeed. 

The  soil  should  be  prepared  as  for  cabbage.  The  sets  will 
be  found  to  be  small  straight  roots,  about  \  inch  in  diameter 
and  6  inches  long.  The  rows  should  be  made  about  2  feet 
apart  and  the  sets  planted  18  inches  in  the  row.  A  deep 
hole  should  be  made  with  a  dibber,  or  other  suitable 
implement,  and  the  set  dropped  in  it  in  an  upright  posi- 
tion. The  crown  of  the  set  should  go  from  2  to  4  inches 
below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  The  cultivation  need  not  be 
frequent,  but  had  best  be  deep. 

The  roots  are  the  only  marketable  parts ;  these  should 
be  removed  from  the  soil,  washed,  and  trimmed.  They 
will  remain  in  a  marketable  condition  for  several  weeks 
after  digging,  and  may  be  shipped  as  freight. 


CASSAVA 

There  are  two  classes  of  varieties  of  this  tropical  Ameri- 
can plant,  the  bitter  and  the  sweet.  Only  the  sweet 
varieties  seem  to  be  cultivated  in  Florida  and  Colombia. 
In  Florida  a  considerable  area  was  grown  during  the  late 
nineties  for  the  production  of  starch,  and  two  large  factories 
were  established  for  preparing  the  starch  for  market. 
In  the  West  Indies  and  Brazil,  both  kinds  are  grown.  It 


284  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

is  often  difficult  to  distinguish  between  the  two.  The 
characters  that  are  marks  of  distinction  in  one  locality 
do  not  seem  to  apply  in  another  place. 

The  bitter  varieties  contain  so  much  hydrocyanic 
(prussic)  acid  in  the  substance  of  their  roots,  that  they  are 
poisonous,  and  cannot  be  fed  to  animals ;  neither  can  they 
be  used  as  food  until  the  roots  have  been  grated  to  meal 
and  the  juice  squeezed  out.  The  meal  must  be  well 
dried  on  hot  iron  plates,  and  it  then  forms  the  staff  of 
life  in  much  of  South  America.  Pressed  into  large  thin 
biscuits  and  cooked  on  hot  iron  plates,  it  forms  cassava 
bread,  which  has  a  peculiar  appetizing  flavor  of  its  own. 
The  starch  which  settles  from  the  juice  is  also  heated  on 
iron  plates,  and  is  then  well  known  as  tapioca. 

The  roots  of  the  sweet  varieties  of  cassava,  on  the  other 
hand,  contain  hydrocyanic  acid,  in  quantity,  only  in  the 
rind.  The  roots,  stems,  and  leaves  may  be  fed  raw  to 
farm  animals.  The  peeled  roots  may  be  cooked  and  used 
hot  as  a  vegetable,  forming  a  cheap  food  in  tropical 
countries.  However,  cases  of  poisoning  sometimes  arise 
from  mistaking  the  bitter  for  the  sweet  cassava.  - 

The  sweet  cassava  roots  are  used  to  a  considerable 
extent  as  a  vegetable  in  the  West  Indies  and  other  tropical 
American  countries.  The  bitter  cassava  is  well  worth 
raising  for  the  sake  of  the  biscuits,  which  are  most  whole- 
some and  appetizing. 

Cassava  is  grown  from  short  pieces  of  the  thick  stems, 
which  are  planted  4  to  6  feet  apart  each  way  in  a  well- 
drained  soil.  The  planting  is  done  in  subtropical  regions 
as  early  in  the  year  as  possible,  and  in  the  tropics  during 
the  cool  season.  In  eight  to  twelve  months  the  roots  are 


Vegetables  with  Edible  Tubers  or  Roots          285 

ready  for  use,  but  they  may  be  left  in  the  ground  for  a 
considerable  time  without  injury.  They  do  not  keep  well 
after  being  removed  from  the  ground.  In  regions  where 
light  freezing  weather  occurs  during  the  winter,  the 
canes  may  be  stored  in  a  bank.  They  should  be  cut 
early,  just  before  frost  may  be  expected.  After  cutting, 
they  should  be  placed  in  large  compact  piles  and  covered 
with  soil.  One  should  choose  a  place  that  is  well  drained 
and  one  that  will  keep  quite  dry.  The  object  of  the  bank- 
ing is  to  keep  the  canes  from  drying  out  and  being  frosted. 

Bulletins. 

Sweet  Cassava,  U.  S.  D.  A.,  Bur.  of  Chem.  Bulletin  44,  1894. 
Cassava,  Farmers'  Bulletin  167,  1903. 


LLEREN 

Lleren  has  been  long  cultivated  in  the  West  Indies,  and 
especially  in  Porto  Rico.  It  was  described  in  1904, 
by  O.  W.  Barrett,  in  the  "  Plant  World."  It  grows  about 
three  feet  high,  and  like  the  banana,  increases  by  offsets 
or  "heads."  It  bears  many  ovoid  root-tubers,  an  inch 
or  two  long.  These  are  boiled,  and  after  removing  the 
skins,  are  eaten  as  a  vegetable.  The  flavor  is  said  to  re- 
semble sweet  corn,  and  is  liked  by  most  persons.  It  is  a 
good  shipper.  In  Porto  Rico  the  "heads"  are  planted 
in  rows  4  feet  apart,  with  2  feet  between  the  plants. 
It  requires  a  year  or  more  to  produce  a  crop  of  large-sized 
tubers.  These  root-tubers  cannot  be  used  for  propagation. 
The  plant  is  Calathea  Alluia,  allied  to  Maranta  and 
Canna. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
OTHER   VEGETABLES;  PLANTING  LIST 

HERE  are  brought  together  short  accounts  of  several 
tropical  or  subtropical  vegetables  that  are  cultivated  more 
or  less  in  those  regions,  and  that  offer  a  promising  field  for 
improvement  by  selection  and  the  discovery  of  useful 
sports.  They  are  not  yet  grown  commercially  in  Florida, 
and  apparently  not  elsewhere  in  adjacent  tropical  regions. 

CHENOPODIUM  QUINOA 

This  annual  vegetable  has  been  grown  in  the  high  regions 
of  Colombia,  Peru,  and  Chile  for  hundreds  of  years.  There 
are  several  varieties.  The  seeds  are  cooked  with  soups  or 
fish,  or  used  as  a  porridge.  They  must  first  be  boiled 
to  get  rid  of  acridity.  The  leaves  are  eaten  like  spinach. 
This  plant  could  be  grown  on  tropical  or  subtropical 
mountains. 

ULLUCUS  TUBEROSUS 

This  vegetable  has  long  been  cultivated  in  the  mountains 
of  Peru  and  Bolivia  at  3000  feet  or  more  high.  Its  creeping 
rhizome  bears  fleshy  tubers  like  potatoes  but  smaller,  and 
containing  sugar  as  well  as  starch.  Several  varieties  are 
known.  It  is  said  to  be  propagated  both  by  the  tubers 
and  by  cuttings.  It  will  endure  some  frost. 


Other  Vegetables  287 

ARRACACIA  XANTHORRHIZA   (A.   ESCULENTA) 

This  excellent  vegetable  of  the  mountain  regions  of 
Venezuela  and  Colombia  resembles  the  carrot  or  parsnip, 
to  which  it  is  related,  and  to  which  its  flavor  is  said  to  be 
superior.  It  is  grown  in  Porto  Rico  on  the  mountains. 
It  is  well  suited  for  culture  on  all  tropical  mountains 
at  elevations  of  a  few  thousand  feet.  It  is  grown  like 
carrots  or  celery  (without  blanching) ;  but  seed  is  not 
used  (and  is  rarely  produced).  The  crop  is  grown  from 
small  "heads"  which  form  at  the  bases  of  the  leaf-stalks. 
It  is  said  to  mature  in  four  months  sufficiently  to  be  of 
use ;  and  a  longer  period,  up  to  eleven  months,  allows  the 
roots  to  grow  larger.  There  are  several  varieties.  It  is 
eaten  boiled,  fried  in  slices,  or  in  soups. 


YAM-BEAN  (Pocfiyrhizus  erosus  and  P.  tuberosus) 

There  are  two  or  three  kinds  of  this  tropical  plant. 
The  one  grown  in  Mexico  has  two  varieties  at  least.  It 
is  grown  on  ridges  in  irrigated  fields.  The  roots,  which 
resemble  turnips  in  shape,  are  eaten  raw  or  cooked. 
They  are  dug  up  before  they  get  large  and  woody,  and  the 
plants  are  not  allowed  to  mature  seed.  A  yam-bean  is 
much  cultivated  in  Indo-China  and  the  Malay  archipelago 
for  its  roots,  of  which  it  yields  under  a  ton  an  acre  in  three 
or  four  months.  The  roots  are  eaten  raw  or  boiled,  and 
contain  22  per  cent  of  starch,  11  per  cent  of  sugar,  and 
12  per  cent  of  proteid.  The  yam-bean  is  worth  culti- 
vating in  tropical  and  subtropical  countries.  The  pods 
of  one  kind  are  eaten  like  string  beans. 


288  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

GOA  BEAN  (Psophocarpus  tetragonolobus) 

This  leguminous  plant,  of  which  there  are  several 
varieties,  is  much  grown  in  India,  where  its  young  tuber- 
ous roots  are  eaten  raw  or  cooked,  being  dug  before  any 
seeds  ripen.  The  young  green  pods  form  an  excellent 
vegetable  when  cooked  like  string  beans.  It  is  called  in 
Australia  the  asparagus  pea.  It  has  large  light-blue  flowers, 
and  is  well  worth  growing  in  tropical  vegetable-gardens. 

NEW  ZEALAND  SPINACH  (Tetragonid  expansa) 

This  annual  herb  is  not  related  to  the  ordinary  spinach, 
and  forms  an  excellent  substitute  for  it  during  hot  weather, 
when  spinach  will  not  thrive.  It  may  be  grown  in  tropical 
countries,  and  stands  sun  and  drought.  It  forms  a  good 
green  pot-herb  in  summer.  Sow  the  seed  in  a  well  pre- 
pared cold  frame  about  January  first  and  protect  the  bed 
during  cool  weather.  When  the  plants  have  reached  a 
height  of  one  or  two  inches  in  the  seed-bed,  they  may  be 
transplanted  to  the  field,  placing  them  in  rows  about  3 
feet  apart  and  about  one  foot  apart  in  the  row.  These 
plants  are  likely  to  continue  to  grow  throughout  the  sum- 
mer and  into  the  late  fall.  Another  sowing  may  be  made 
in  the  late  spring  or  early  summer  in  similar  beds,  pro- 
tected from  the  sun  by  means  of  cheesecloth.  The 
plants  can  then  be  set  out  in  September  and  make  a  fair 
growth  before  the  cool  weather  of  the  fall  retards  further 
development. 

BASELLA  (Basella  rubrd) 

This  annual  or  biennial  tropical  herb  has  a  vigorous 
growth  and  is  a  good  pot-herb  and  also  an  excellent  salad. 


Other  Vegetables  289 

It  is  usually  grown  from  seeds,  and  being  a  twiner  may  be 
supported  on  a  low  trellis.  There  are  several  varieties 
from  India,  China,  and  Japan.  The  best  kind  is  said  to 
be  grown  from  cuttings.  This  vegetable  has  been  well 
recommended  in  several  tropical  and  subtropical  countries. 

EDIBLE  JUTE  (Corchorus  olitorius  var.  edulis) 

This  large  tropical  annual  is  much  grown  in  Egypt  and 
India  for  the  use  of  its  tender  shoots  and  leaves  as  a  pot- 
herb. The  young  leaves  are  also  eaten  in  salads.  It  is 
ready  in  forty  to  fifty  days  (Egypt),  and  may  be  cut  twice. 
It  is  one  of  the  garden  vegetables  that  should  be  grown  in 
tropical  lands  where  green  vegetables  are  often  scarce. 

EDIBLE  AMARANTH  (Amamnthus  oleraceus,  A.  gangeticus, 
and  A.  viridis) 

Several  forms  of  amaranth  are  cultivated  as  pot-herbs 
in  India,  China,  and  tropical  countries.  The  young  shoots 
are  used  in  the  place  of  asparagus.  The  best  kinds 
seem  worthy  of  a  place  in  the  tropical  vegetable-garden. 

PARA  CRESS  (Spilanthes   okracea) 

This  tropical  composite  hardly  takes  the  place  of  a 
cress.  It  is  a  creeping  yellow-flowered  annual.  Its 
leaves  are  used  for  a  pungent  medicinal  salad,  which,  pre- 
sumably from  some  narcotic  quality,  is  often  eaten  in 
tropical  countries  as  a  remedy  against  toothache.  The 
true  watercress  can  usually  be  grown  in  tropical  mountain 
streams, 
u 


290  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

PIGEON  PEA  (Cajanus  indicus) 

There  are  several  varieties  of  this  tropical  legume. 
It  may  grow  for  several  years,  forming  a  tall  woody  shrub  ; 
but  is  perhaps  best  cultivated  as  an  annual.  It  is  half- 
hardy,  grows  vigorously  even  if  neglected,  and  yields 
a  heavy  crop.  Its  unripe  peas  are  eaten  in  tropical 
countries  to  replace  English  peas,  to  which  they  are 
not  so  much  inferior.  It  seems  a  promising  plant  to 
use  as  a  starting  point  for  improvement  as  a  tropical 
garden  pea. 


SWORD  BEANS  AND  JACK  BEANS 

Some  kinds  of  this  tropical  legume  are  worth  cultivating. 
One  (C.  gladiata)  is  a  perennial  climber  in  India,  where  it  is 
said  to  be  the  finest  of  all  the  native  vegetables.  The 
young  pods,  sliced  and  boiled,  are  little  if  anything  in- 
ferior to  French  beans,  and  are  extensively  used  by 
Europeans  in  India.  The  young  pods  of  the  Jack  bean, 
when  less  than  six  inches  long,  are  used  as  string  beans, 
in  Japan,  Demerara,  and  elsewhere. 

CHINESE  CABBAGE  (Brossica  Pe-tsai) 

This  relative  of  the  cabbage  has  been  recommended  as 
a  substitute  for  the  latter  in  hot  climates.  In  Louisiana  it 
is  used  in  salads  instead  of  the  cabbage,  and  somewhat 
resembles  a  large  lettuce.  In  two  or  three  months, 
plants  have  been  obtained  weighing  more  than  six  pounds. 
It  may  be  grown  in  tropical  countries,  especially  on  the 
mountains,  and  is  much  cultivated  in  Indo-China. 


Other  Vegetables  291 

CHINESE  MUSTARD    (BrOSsica  junced) 

This  is  a  good  pot-herb  which  can  be  grown  in  hot 
climates.  There  are  several  varieties  cultivated  in 
Japan,  and  the  plant  is  also  grown  in  India  and  in  other 
tropical  countries.  The  half-pungent  flavor  is  very 
agreeable.  The  Chinese  mustard  should  be  sown  in  rows 
14  to  18  inches  apart.  The  soil  must  be  well  prepared, 
a  light  sandy  loam  being  preferred.  Sow  the  seed  the  same 
as  for  ordinary  mustard ;  give  same  culture  as  for  turnips 
or  radishes.  It  is  prepared  for  food  in  the  same  way  as 
ordinary  mustard. 

ROQUETTE   (Eruca  sativa) 

Roquette  is  a  cruciferous  annual  whose  young  leaves 
are  used  in  salads  or  as  a  pot-herb.  The  flavor  somewhat 
resembles  horse-radish.  The  vegetable  is  grown  in 
France  and  Egypt.  Seed  of  roquette  may  be  obtained 
from  some  of  the  seedsmen  in  southern  United  States. 
The  first  seeding  should  be  early  in  the  spring.  Treat  in 
about  the  same  way  as  for  turnips  or  mustard,  sowing  the 
seed  in  shallow  drills  about  one  foot  apart.  The  soil 
should  be  rich  and  well  supplied  with  moisture.  If  dry 
weather  occurs  it  may  be  necessary  to  irrigate.  With  the 
approach  of  warm  summer  weather,  the  plants  are  likely  to 
run  to  seed.  For  fall  greens,  sow  late  in  the  summer  or 
early  in  the  fall. 

WEST  INDIA  CUCUMBER  (Cucumis  Angurid) 

This  small  prickly  cucumber  or  gherkin  grows  well  in 
tropical  countries,  where  it  is  difficult  to  grow  other  cu- 


292  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

cumbers.  It  is  usually  eaten  cooked  or  pickled.  The  vine 
of  this  plant  resembles  the  watermelon  vine  to  a  consider- 
able degree  and  may  be  mistaken  for  it.  This  plant  can 
be  grown  as  a  curiosity,  or  allowed  to  grow  wild,  and  in 
some  places  has  become  established  as  a  weed.  The  fruits 
are  usually  one  or  two  inches  long  and  more  or  less  prickly, 
though  some  tend  to  be  quite  smooth.  It  is  supposed  to 
be  a  native  of  the  American  tropics.  Not  much  attention 
has  been  given  to  its  cultivation. 

GINGER  (Zingiber  officinale) 

This  plant  can  be  grown  successfully  in  most  sub- 
tropical gardens,  as  in  south  Florida,  and  up  to  elevations 
of  several  thousand  feet  in  tropical  countries.  In  India 
it  is  usually  planted  just  before  the  rainy  season,  small 
pieces  of  the  rhizomes  being  set  in  rich  soil  one  foot  apart 
each  way.  The  ginger  is  ripe  at  the  end  of  the  year. 
When  grown  for  a  preserve,  the  youngest  tubers  only  are 
taken,  peeled,  and  preserved  in  cold  sirup. 

DANDELION  ( Taraxacum  officinale} 

This  plant  forms  a  favorite  salad,  and  the  large-leaved 
garden  varieties  are  the  better  for  being  blanched.  The 
Improved  Thick-Leaved  has  done  well  in  Cuba  and 
Porto  Rico. 

ASPARAGUS  BEAN  (Dolichos,  or  Vigna,  sesquipedalis) 

This  bean  is  grown  in  China  and  South  America, 
and  its  long  pods  are  eaten  as  snap  beans.  It  is  a  pole 


Other  Vegetables  293 

bean  with  few-seeded  pods  two  or  three  feet  or  more 
long.  It  has  been  long  grown  in  the  tropics  and  there 
developed  to  its  greatest  perfection.  Numerous  attempts 
have  been  made  to  introduce  it  into  the  cooler  regions,  but 
it  has  not  proven  as  successful  there  as  in  the  subtropical 
regions,  although  the  vegetable  has  been  produced  as  far 
north  as  New  York  state. 

Planting  and  general  treatment  should  be  about  the 
same  as  in  the  case  of  cowpeas.  A  longer  time  is  usually 
required  for  the  vegetable  to  mature.  The  succulent  green 
pods  make  a  desirable  vegetable  when  prepared  like  snap 
beans  or  cowpeas.  The  dried  beans  are  also  used  at  times 
for  food .  A  considerable  number  of  variations  in  this  species 
occur. 

HYACINTH  BEAN  (Dolichos  Lablab] 

This  is  a  climbing  bean,  the  young  pods  being  eaten 
as  string  beans.  There  are  several  varieties.  It  is  much 
grown  within  the  tropics,  especially  in  India.  Some  of 
the  varieties  generally  known  under  this  name  are  drought 
resistant,  thus  forming  a  favorite  vegetable  in  regions 
where  it  is  difficult  to  produce  cowpeas  and  the  legumes 
belonging  to  this  group.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  it  has 
been  long  in  cultivation,  it  has  led  to  so  many  varieties 
that  the  name  may  be  applied  to  a  variety  of  plants. 

The  general  cultural  methods  employed  for  cowpeas  or 
string  beans  will  be  found  useful  for  this  crop  and  methods 
of  preparation  for  the  table  are  the  same.  In  the  cooler 
temperate  regions  this  plant  is  often  grown  for  ornamental 
purposes,  being  attractive  because  of  its  splendid  racemes 
of  flowers. 


294  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

SNAKE  GOUKD  (Trichosanthes  Anguina) 

This  plant  bears  a  cucumber-like  fruit,  three  feet  or 
more  in  length.  It  is  eaten  sliced  and  cooked  in  India 
and  China.  This  should  be  planted  and  treated  very 
much  the  same  as  the  gourd. 

TREE  TOMATO  (Cyphomandra  betacea) 

This  relative  of  the  tomato  grows  into  a  shrub.  It 
fruits  in  the  second  season  from  seed,  and  bears  its  egg- 
shaped  fruits  abundantly  most  of  the  year.  They  taste 
somewhat  like  tomatoes,  and  are  eaten  raw  with  salt  or 
sugar,  and  in  salads ;  or  used  for  pastries,  jellies,  and  pre- 
serves. An  analysis  in  Java  showed  about  4  per  cent 
of  sugar  in  the  pulp.  This  plant  grows  in  subtropical 
countries  and  does  best  on  the  hills  in  the  tropics.  It  is 
grown  from  seeds  or  cuttings,  and  may  be  a  promising 
subject  for  improvement. 

CHARD  (Beta  vulgaris  var.) 

This  is  a  vegetable  closely  related  to  the  garden  beet,  but 
has  a  small  woody  root,  and  large,  white,  thick  leaf  stalks 
and  mid-ribs,  which  are  the  parts  cooked  for  use,  though 
the  leaf-blades  may  also  be  eaten.  The  plant  is  easy  of 
cultivation  and  yields  well  in  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico.  It  is 
a  useful  vegetable  for  the  subtropical  and  tropical  garden. 

PEPINO  (Solanum  muricatum) 

Pepino  is  a  seedless  vegetable,  propagated  by  suckers 
and  cuttings.  It  bears  in  a  few  months  striped  fruits 


Other  Vegetables  295 

which  taste  something  like  cantaloupes,  and  are  four  to  six 
inches  long.  It  will  stand  a  little  frost  and  sprouts  up  next 
year  from  the  root.  The  fruit,  which  is  a  product  of  culti- 
vation in  Peru,  will  grow  well  in  subtropical  countries, 
and  on  tropical  mountains,  and  is  said  to  ship  well.  The 
plant  itself  bears  a  remote  resemblance  to  the  eggplant. 
The  bush  is  not  as  sturdy  a  grower,  or  as  hardy  in  the 
northern  regions.  It  has  fruited  as  far  north  as  New 
Jersey  but  produces  only  a  very  small  crop.  In  the  tropics 
it  needs  special  care.  It  should  be  given  the  same  atten- 
tion as  eggplant  in  the  preparation  of  the  soil  and  culti- 
vation. Owing  to  the  fact  that  seed  is  not  produced, 
there  is  some  difficulty  in  getting  a  start  with  pepino. 
Cuttings  root  readily  in  a  moist  loam  but  should  be  pro- 
tected from  the  sun.  Make  the  cuttings  in  the  summer. 

WAX  GOURD   (Benincasa  cerifera) 

The  wax  gourd  or  China  preserving  melon  is  grown  in 
China  and  in  many  subtropical  and  tropical  countries. 
Its  fruits  are  about  a  foot  long,  with  small  seeds,  and  are 
cooked  like  a  summer  squash,  or  preserved  in  sirup.  This 
plant  may  be  cultivated  like  a  muskmelon  or  allowed  to 
grow  up  a  trellis.  In  India  the  seed  is  sown  in  the  rainy 
season.  The  fruit  matures  in  about  four  months.  It  is 
well  worth  growing  in  a  tropical  garden  for  making  pre- 
serves or  sweet  pickles. 


PLANTING -LIST     OF     VEGETABLES     BY 
MONTHS 

The  following  list  is  a  suggestion  to  those  in  Florida  who 
desire  to  know  what  vegetables  may  prove  successful  under 
average  conditions  if  planted  in  the  different  months. 

NORTH  AND  CENTRAL  FLORIDA 

January 

Asparagus  seed,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  seed  and  plants,  Cauli- 
flower seed,  Collards,  Eggplant  seed,  Leeks,  Lettuce,  Mustard, 
Onion  sets,  Radishes,  Rape,  Spanish  Onion  seed,  Tomato  seed, 
Turnips. 

February 

Asparagus  seed,  Adam's  Early  Corn,  Beans,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cab- 
bage, Cantaloupes,  Carrots,  Collards,  Cucumbers,  Eggplant 
seed,  English  Peas,  Irish  Potatoes,  Kale,  Leeks,  Lettuce,  Onions, 
Parsley,  Parsnips,  Pepper  seed,  Rutabagas,  Salsify,  Spinach, 
Windsor  Beans. 

March 

Beans,  Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cantaloupes,  Carrots,  Cauliflower, 
Collards,  Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  Early  Corn,  Eggplants,  English 
Peas,  Irish  Potatoes,  Kale,  Kohlrabi,  Leeks,  Okra,  Onions, 
Parsley,  Parsnip,  Pepper,  Pumpkin,  Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas, 
Salsify,  Squash,  Sugar  Corn,  Tomatoes,  Turnips,  Watermelons. 
296 


List  of  Vegetables  by  Months  297 


April 

Beans,  Cantaloupes,  Collards,  Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  Eggplant, 
English  Peas,  Irish  Potatoes,  Kohlrabi,  Lettuce,  Okra,  Onion 
plants,  Parsley,  Parsnip,  Peppers,  Pumpkins,  Radishes,  Ruta- 
bagas, Squash,  Sugar  Corn,  Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomatoes,  Turnips, 
Watermelons. 

May 

Beans,  Butter  Beans,  Cantaloupes,  Collards,  Cowpeas,  Cucumbers, 
Eggplant,  Okra,  Peppers,  Pumpkin,  Squash,  Sugar  Corn,  Sweet 
Potatoes,  Tomato  plants  and  seed,  Watermelons. 

June 

Butter  Beans,  Cabbage  seed,  Cauliflower  seed,  Celery  seed,  Cowpeas, 
Eggplant,  Peppers,  Squash,  Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomatoes,  Water- 
melons. 

July 

Cabbage  seed,  Cantaloupes,  Cauliflower  seed,  Celery  seed,  Cowpeas, 
Eggplant,  Parsley,  Peppers,  Pumpkin,  Rutabagas,  Squash,  Sweet 
Potatoes,  Tomato  plants  and  seed,  Watermelons. 

August 

Beans,  Beets,  Cabbage  seed,  Cantaloupes,  Cauliflower  seed,  Carrots, 
Cowpeas,  Cress,  Cucumbers,  Collards,  Eggplant,  Irish  Potatoes, 
Kale,  Kohlrabi,  Okra,  Onions,  Parsnip,  Peppers,  Pumpkin, 
Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas,  Salsify,  Spinach,  Squash,  Tomatoes, 
Turnips,  Windsor  Beans. 

September 

Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage,  Carrots,  Cauliflower  plants,  Celery 
plants,  Collards,  Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  English  Peas,  Irish 
Potatoes,  Kale,  Leeks,  Mustard,  Onion  sets,  Parsnip,  Radishes, 
Rape,  Rutabagas,  Salsify,  Spinach,  Squash,  Turnips. 


298  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

October 

Beets,  Bermuda  Onion  sets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage,  Carrots, 
Cauliflower  plants,  Celery  plants,  Collards,  Kale,  Leeks,  Lettuce 
seed  and  plants,  Mustard,  Onion  sets,  Parsnip,  Radishes,  Rape, 
Spinach,  Turnips. 

November 

Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  seed  and  plants,  Carrots,  Collards, 
Kale,  Lettuce,  Mustard,  Onion  sets,  Parsnip,  Radishes,  Rape, 
Spinach,  Turnips. 

December 

Cabbage  plants  and  seed,  Collards,  Leeks,  Lettuce  plants  and  seed, 
Mustard,  Onions,  Radishes,  Rape. 


TAMPA  AND  SOUTHWARD 

January 

Beans,  Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  seed  and  plants,  Cauliflower 
seed,  Collards,  Eggplant  seed,  Irish  Potatoes,  Kale,  Kohlrabi, 
Lettuce,  Mustard,  Radishes,  Rape,  Spanish  Onion  seed,  Spinach, 
Tomato  seed,  Turnips. 

February 

Adam's  Early  Corn,  Beets,  Beans,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage, 
Cantaloupes,  Carrots,  Cucumbers,  Eggplant  seed,  Irish  Potatoes, 
Kale,  Lettuce,  Okra,  Onions,  Pepper  seed,  Spinach,  Squash, 
Windsor  Beans. 

March 

Beans,  Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cantaloupes,  Carrots,  Cauliflower, 
Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  Early  Corn,  Eggplants,  Irish  Potatoes, 
Lettuce,  Mustard,  Okra,  Onions,  Pepper,  Pumpkin,  Radishes, 
Squash,  Sugar  Corn,  Tomatoes,  Watermelons. 


List  of  Vegetables  by  Months  299 

April 

Beans,  Collards,  Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  Eggplant,  Kohlrabi,  Okra, 
Onion  plants,  Peppers,  Pumpkins,  Radishes,  Squash,  Sugar  Corn, 
Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomatoes. 


May 

Beans,  Butter  Beans,  Cowpeas,  Eggplant,  Okra,  Peppers,  Pumpkin, 
Squash,  Sugar  Corn,  Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomatoes. 


June 

Butter  Beans,  Cabbage  seed,  Celery  seed,  Cowpeas,  Eggplant  seed, 
Peppers,  Squash,  Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomato  plants  and  seed, 
Watermelon. 

July 

Cabbage  seed,  Cantaloupes,  Celery  seed,  Cowpeas,  Eggplant  and 
seed,  Peppers,  Pumpkin,  Squash,  Sweet  Potatoes,  Tomato  plants 
and  seed,  Watermelons. 

August 

Beans  (Snap),  Cabbage  seed,  Cantaloupes,  Cauliflower  seed,  Carrots, 
Cowpeas,  Collards,  Cucumbers,  Eggplant,  English  Peas,  Irish 
Potatoes,  Kale,  Kohlrabi,  Lettuce,  Mustard,  Onions,  Peppers, 
Pumpkin,  Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas,  Spinach,  Squash,  Swiss 
Chard,  Tomatoes,  Turnips,  Windsor  Beans. 


September 

Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  plants  and  seed,  Carrots,  Collards, 
Cowpeas,  Cucumbers,  English  Peas,  Irish  Potatoes,  Kale,  Let- 
tuce, Mustard,  Onion  sets,  Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas,  Spinach, 
Squash,  Swiss  Chard,  Turnips. 


300  Subtropical  Vegetable-Gardening 

October 

Beets,  Bermuda  Onion  seed,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  plants  and 
seed,  Carrots,  Collards,  Kale,  Lettuce  seed  and  plants,  Mustard, 
Onion  sets,  Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas,  Spinach,  Swiss  Chard, 
Turnips. 

November 

Beets,  Brussels  Sprouts,  Cabbage  seed  and  plants,  Carrots,  Collards, 
Kale,  Lettuce,  Mustard,  Onion  sets,  Radishes,  Rape,  Rutabagas, 
Spinach,  Swiss  Chard,  Turnips. 

December 

Cabbage  plants  and  seed,  Collards,  Lettuce  plants  and  seed,  Mustard, 
Onion  sets  and  plants,  Radishes,  Rape,  Spanish  Onion  seed, 
Swiss  Chard. 


INDEX 


Acidity,  how  to  test  soils  for,  20. 
Acidity  of  Florida  soils,  20. 
Acid  phosphate,  11. 
Amaranth,  edible,  289. 
Amaranthus  gangeticus,  289. 
Amaranthus  oleraceus,  289. 
Amaranthus  viridis,  289. 
Ammonia  (see  nitrogen,  7). 
Ammoniacal     solution    of     copper 

carbonate,   75. 
Amount,  formula,  how  to  compute, 

13. 

Arachis  hypogcea,  242. 
Arracacia  esculenta,  287. 
Arsenate  of  lead,  67. 
Arsenite  of  zinc,  68. 
Artichoke,  globe,  132. 
Artichoke,  Jerusalem,  261. 
Ashes,  cottonseed  hull,  10. 
Ashes,  saw  palmetto,  11. 
Ashes,  wood,  11. 
Asparagus,  124. 
Asparagus  bean,  291. 
Asparagus,  blanching,  129. 
Asparagus,  bulletins  on,  131. 
Asparagus,   bunching  and  crating, 

128. 

Asparagus,  canning,  130. 
Asparagus,  cutting,  127. 
Asparagus,  enemies  of,  130. 
Asparagus,  fertilizer  for,  126. 
Asparagus,  marketing,  128. 
Asparagus,  planting,  127. 
Asparagus,  preparation  of  plot,  125. 
Asparagus,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Asparagus,  varieties  of,  131. 


Bait,  poison,  72. 
Barbarea,  123. 


Basella,  288. 

Basella  rubra,  288. 

Basic  slag,  11. 

Bean,  asparagus,  291. 

Bean,  broad,  234. 

Bean,  goa,  288. 

Bean,  hyacinth,  292. 

Bean,  Jack,  290. 

Beans,  225. 

Beans,  bulletins  on,  233. 

Beans,  bush,  226. 

Beans,  bush,  fertilizer  for,  226. 

Beans,  bush,  green  snaps,  230. 

Beans,  bush,  harvesting,  229. 

Beans,  bush,  kidney  green  shell, 
231. 

Beans,  bush,  planting  and  cul- 
tivating, 227. 

Beans,  bush,  preparing  for  market, 
228. 

Beans,  bush,  soils  for,  226. 

Beans,  bush  sorts,  seed  per  acre, 
45. 

Beans,  bush,  varieties  of,  230. 

Beans,  bush,  yellow  snaps,  230. 

Beans,  enemies  of,  233. 

Beans,  lima,  232. 

Beans,  lima,  Carolina  or  small- 
seeded,  232. 

Beans,  lima,  culture,  232. 

Beans,  lima,  large-seeded,  232. 

Beans,  lima,  varieties,  232. 

Beans,  pole,  230. 

Beans,  pole,  green  shell,  231. 

Beans,  pole,  green  snaps,  231. 

Beans,  pole  sorts,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Beans,  pole,  varieties  of,  231. 

Beans,  pole,  yellow  snaps,  231. 

Bean  spray,  71. 


301 


302 


Index 


Beans,  runner,  232. 

Beans,  runner,  varieties,  233. 

Bean,  sword,  290. 

Beds,  seed  and  plant,  58. 

Beet,  271. 

Beet,  fertilizer  for,  272. 

Beet,  marketing,  273. 

Beet,  seeding  and  cultivating,  272. 

Beet,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Beet,  soil  and  preparation,  271. 

Beet,  varieties  of,  274. 

Belladonna  177. 

Benincasa  cerifera,  293. 

Beta  vulgaris,  292. 

Bisulfide  of  carbon,  72. 

Blood,  dried,  10. 

Bone  meal,  11. 

Bone  phosphate,  9. 

Bordeaux  mixture,  73. 

Borecole,  kale  or,  87. 

Brassica  juncea,  290. 

Brassica  Pe-tsai,  290. 

Bread-fruit,  220. 

Broad  bean,  234. 

Broccoli,  95. 

Brussels  sprouts,  87. 

Bulbs,  edible,  vegetables  with,  134. 

Cabbage,  81. 

Cabbage,  bulletins  on,  86. 
Cabbage,  Chinese,  290. 
Cabbage,  enemies  of,  86. 
Cabbage,  fertilizers  for,  84. 
Cabbage,  marketing,  85. 
Cabbage,  planting  and  cultivating, 

84. 

Cabbage,  preparing  for  market,  85. 
Cabbage,  seed  bed,  82. 
Cabbage,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Cabbage,  soils  for,  83. 
Cabbage,  sowing  seed  of,  82. 
Cabbage,  varieties  of,  86. 
Cajanus  indicus,  289. 
Calathea  Attuia,  285. 
Canavalia  gladiata,  290. 
Canna,  mentioned,  285. 


Cantaloupes,  151. 

Cantaloupes,  bulletins  on,  154. 

Cantaloupes,  enemies  of,  154. 

Cantaloupes,  fertilizer  for,  152. 

Cantaloupes,  marketing,  153. 

Cantaloupes,  planting  and  cul- 
tivating, 153. 

Cantaloupes,  saving  the  seed,  153. 

Cantaloupes  (see  muskmelon),  45. 

Cantaloupes,  soil  and  preparation, 
152. 

Cantaloupes,  varieties  of,  154. 

Carbon  bisulfide,  72. 

Carrot,  274. 

Carrot,  fertilizer  for,  275. 

Carrot,  marketing,  276. 

Carrot,  soil  and  preparation,  275. 

Carrot,  sowing  and  cultivation  of, 
276. 

Carrot,  varieties  of,  276. 

Cassava,  283. 

Cassava,  bitter,  284. 

Cassava,  bulletins,  285. 

Cassava,  propagation,  284. 

Cassava,  sweet,  284. 

Cauliflower,  89. 

Cauliflower,  books  and  bulletins 
on,  95. 

Cauliflower,  crating  heads,  93. 

Cauliflower,  cultivation  of,  93. 

Cauliflower,  cutting,  93. 

Cauliflower,  enemies  of,  95. 

Cauliflower,  preparation  of  land  for, 
91. 

Cauliflower,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Cauliflower,  seed  production,  94. 

Cauliflower,  setting  out  plants,  92. 

Cauliflower,  soil  and  fertilizer  for, 
92. 

Cauliflower,  sowing  seed  of,  90. 

Cauliflower,  varieties  of,  94. 

Celery,  109. 

Celery,  blanching,  116. 

Celery,  bulletins  on,  119. 

Celery,  cultivation  of,  115. 

Celery  diseases,  118. 


Index 


303 


Celery,  distance  of  planting,  1 14. 
Celery,  fertilizer  for,  111. 
Celery,  irrigation  of,  116. 
Celery,    overhead    irrigation,    117. 
Celery,     preparation    of    soil    for, 

110. 

Celery,  preparing  for  market,  118. 
Celery,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Celery,  seed-sowing,  112. 
Celery,  soil  for,  109. 
Celery,  sub-irrigation,  117. 
Celery,  transplanting,  113. 
Celery,  varieties  of,  119. 
Chard,  292. 
Chayote,  174. 
Chayote,  bulletin,  176. 
Chayote,  methods  of  handling,  175. 
Chenopodium  Quinoa,  286. 
Cherry,  ground,  117. 
Chicory,  119. 

Chicory,  cultivation  of,  120. 
Chinese  cabbage,  290. 
Chinese  mustard,  290. 
Chive,  149. 
Citrullus,  151. 
Clay,  2. 
Clay  loam,  2. 
Clay,  strong,  2. 
Coldframes,  construction,  52. 
Coldframes,  selection  and  location, 

52. 

Cole  crops,  81. 
Collards,  88. 

Collards,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Colocasia  antiquorum,  var.  esculen- 

tum,  279. 

Composition  of  soils,  3. 
Compost,  25. 

Compost,  how  to  prepare,  25. 
Continuous  cropping,  30. 
Copper      carbonate,      ammoniacal 

solution  of,   75. 

Corchoms  olitorius  var.  edulis,  288. 
Corn  (sweet),  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Cottonseed  hull  ashes,  10. 
Cottonseed  meal,  10. 


Cover-crops,    rotation    of  legumes^ 
used  for,  31. 

Cowpea,  235. 

Cowpea,  bulletin  on,  235. 

Cress,  122.  ^ 

Cress,  cultivation  of,  123. 

Cress,  garden,  123. 

Cress,  para,  289. 

Cress,  upland,  123. 

Cress,  water,  123. 

Cucumber  field,  soil  and  prepara- 
tion of,  163. 

Cucumbers,  160. 

Cucumbers,  cultivation,  165. 

Cucumbers,  fertilifeer  for,  164. 

Cucumbers,   picking  and  packing, 
166. 

Cucumbers,  protection  from  frost, 
162. 

Cucumbers,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Cucumbers,  seed  saving,  167. 

Cucumbers,  varieties,  169. 

Cucumber,  West  India,  291. 

Cucumis,  151. 

Cucumis  Anguria,  291. 

Cucurbita  maxima,  169. 

Cucurbita  moschata,  169. 

Cucurbita  Pepo,  169. 

Cucurbits,  151. 

Cyanamid,  10. 

Cynara  Scolymus,  132. 

Cyphomandra  betacea,  292. 

Dandelion,  291. 

Dasheen,  279. 

Dasheen,  bulletins,  281. 

Dasheen,  planting,  280. 

Dasheen,  uses  of,  281. 

Deterioration  of  seed  in  tropics,  50. 

Dioscorea,  262. 

Diseases,  and  pests,  66. 

Dolichos  Lablab,  292. 

Dolichos  sesquipedalis,  291. 

Drain,  tile,  40. 

Dried  blood,  10. 

Dry  materials,  machines  for,  76. 


304 


Index 


Edible  amaranth,  289. 

Edible  jute,  288. 

Eggplant,  195. 

Eggplant,  cultivation  of,  200. 

Eggplant,  fertilizer  for,  199. 

Eggplant,  gathering,  201. 

Eggplant,  hotbeds  and  coldframes 

for,  196. 

Eggplant,  marketing,  201. 
Eggplant,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Eggplant,  seed  saving,  201. 
Eggplant,  soil  and  preparation,  199. 
Eggplant,  using  flower  pots,  197. 
Eggplant,  varieties  of,  203. 
Emulsion,  kerosene,  68. 
Endive,  106. 
Eruca  saliva,  290. 

Fertilizer,  complete,  6. 

Fertilizer  elements,  percentage  of, 

10. 

Fertilizer  formulae  tentative,  7. 
Fertilizer,  how  to  test  a  field  for, 

21. 

Fertilizer,  incomplete,  6. 
Fertilizer    table    for    making    up 

formulae,  16. 
Fertilizers,  5. 
Fertilizers,  mixing,  11. 
Fertilizing  elements  deficient,  5. 
Fish-oil  soap,  69. 
Fish  scrap,  9. 
Fish  scraps,  10. 
Florida  soils,  acidity  of,  20. 
Formalin,  72. 
Formula,  how  to  compute  amount, 

12. 

Formulae  compared,  14. 
Fungicides,  73. 

Garlic,  150. 

Gaseous  insecticides,  72. 

Ginger,  291. 

Globe  artichoke,  132. 

Goa  bean,  288. 

Goober,  242. 


Gourd,  snake,  292. 
Gourd,  wax,  293. 
Ground  limestone,  18. 
Guano,  10,  11. 
Gumbo,  215. 

Helianthus  tuberosus,  261. 

Henbane,  177. 

Hibiscus  Sabdariffa,  209. 

High  grade  fertilizer  cheaper,   15. 

Honest  packing,  80. 

Horse-radish,  283. 

Hotbeds,  55. 

House,  packing,  78. 

Hull  ashes,  cottonseed,  10. 

Humus,  1. 

Hyacinth  bean,  292. 

Hydraulic  ram,  35. 

Insecticides,  contact,  68. 
Insecticides,  gaseous,  72. 
Insecticides,  poisonous,  67. 
Irish  potato,  244. 
Irrigation,  36. 
Irrigation,  overhead,  37. 
Irrigation,  sub-,  40. 
Irrigation,  surface,  40. 

Jack  bean,  290. 
Jerusalem  artichoke,  261. 
Jimson-weed,  177. 
Jute,  edible,  288. 

Kainit,  10. 

Kale  or  borecole,  87. 

Kerosene  emulsion,  68. 

Kohlrabi,  97. 

Kohlrabi,  soil  and  preparation,  97. 

Kohlrabi,  varieties  of,  98. 

Land  becomes  poor,  why,  4. 
Land,  clearing,  61. 
Land,  plowing,  61. 
Land,  preparation  of,  59. 
Land,  "tired,"  4. 
Land,  well  drained,  60. 


Index 


305 


Lead  arsenate,  67. 

Leek,  147. 

Leek,  preparation  for  market,  148. 

Leek,  transplanting,  148. 

Legumes  used  as  cover  crops, 
rotation  of,  31. 

Leguminous  plants,  222. 

Lepidium,  122. 

Lettuce,  99. 

Lettuce,  bulletins  on,  106. 

Lettuce,  cultivation  of,  102. 

Lettuce,  diseases  of,  105. 

Lettuce,  fertilizer  for,  102. 

Lettuce,  field  preparation  for,  102. 

Lettuce,  irrigation  for,  103. 

Lettuce,  marketing,  104. 

Lettuce,  seed-bed  for,  100. 

Lettuce,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Lettuce,  seed  raising,  104. 

Lettuce,  setting  out,  101. 

Lettuce,  varieties  of,  105. 

Lima  beans,  232. 

Lime,  18. 

Lime,  nitrate  of,  10. 

Limestone,  coarse  ground  pre- 
ferred, 19. 

Limestone,  ground,  18. 

Lime  sulfur  solution,  70. 

Lime  sulfur  solution,  commercial, 
70. 

Liquids,  machines  for,  76. 

Lleren,  285. 

Loam,  2. 

Machines  for  dry  materials,  76. 
Machines  for  liquids,  76. 
Machines,  how  to  test,  43. 
Machines,  spraying,  75. 
Magnesia,   sulfate  of   potash   and, 

11. 

Manures,  fertilizer  ingredients,  24. 
Manures  for  vegetable  gardening, 

24. 

Maranta,  mentioned,  285. 
Marketing,  78. 
Marl,  3. 


Meal,  bone,  11. 

Meal,  cottonseed,  10. 

Melon  (musk),  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Melon  pawpaw,  217. 

Melon,  water,  155. 

Melon  (water),  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Miscible  oils,  71. 

Mixture,  bordeaux,  73. 

Muck,  28. 

Muck,  composition  of,  3. 

Muck,  good,  10. 

Muck  soils  acid,  20. 

Muskmelon  (see  cantaloupe),  151- 

154. 
Mustard,  Chinese,  290. 

New  Zealand  spinach,  288. 
Nicotianas,  177. 
Nitrate,  materials  used  for,  10. 
Nitrate  of  lime,  10. 
Nitrate  of  soda,  10. 
Nitrogen,  cheapest,  8. 
Nitrogen,  forms  of,  7. 
Nitrogen  gathering  plants,  32. 
Nitrogen,  plants  as  a  source  of,  31. 
Nitrogen,  sources  of,  7. 
Nitrogen,      substances      used      as 
sources  of,  7. 

Oils,  miscible,  71. 

Okra,  215. 

Okra,  bulletin  on,  216. 

Okra,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Onion  crop,  curing  the,  143. 

Onion-growing,  large  scale  method 

of,  142. 
Onions,  134. 

Onions,  bulletins  on,  146. 
Onions,  costs  in  growing,  146. 
On  ons,  crating,  144. 


ons,  cultivation  of,  141. 

on  seed,  time  to  sow,  137. 

on  sets,  quantity  per  acre,  45. 

ons,  fertilizer  for,  135. 

ons,  how  to  set  out,  140. 


Onions,  raising  from  sets,  144. 


306 


Index 


Onions,  seed-bed  for,  137. 
Onions,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Onions,  setting  out,  138. 
Onions,  soil  for,  135. 
Onions,  transplanting,  139. 
Onions,  varieties,  144. 
Overhead  irrigation,  37. 
Oyster  plant,  279. 

Pachyrhizus  erosus,  287. 

Packyrhizus  tuberosus,  287. 

Packing,  honest,  80. 

Packing-house,  the,  78. 

Papaya,  217. 

Papaya,  distance  to  plant,  219. 

Papaya,  from  seed,  218. 

Papaya,  grafting,  218. 

Papaya,  irrigation,  219. 

Para  cress,  289. 

Paris  green,  67. 

Parsley,  121. 

Parsley,  planting,  121. 

Parsley,  varieties  of,  122. 

Parsnip,  277. 

Parsnip,  fertilizer  for,  277. 

Parsnip,  soil  and  preparation,  277. 

Parsnip,    sowing    and    cultivation, 

278. 

Parsnip,  varieties,  278. 
Pawpaw  melon,  217. 
Peanut,  236. 
Peanut,  cleaning,  241. 
Peanut,  cultivation,  239. 
Peanut,  fertilizer,  237. 
Peanut,  grading,  241. 
Peanut,  harvesting,  240. 
Peanut,  literature  on,  242. 
Peanut,  planting,  237. 
Peanut,  soil  and  preparation,  236. 
Peanut,  varieties  of,  242. 
Pea,  pigeon,  289. 
Peas,  222. 

Peas  (cow) ,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Peas,  enemies  of,  224. 
Peas  (English) ,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Peas,  fertilizer  for,  223. 


Peas,  soil  and  cultivation,  223. 

Peas,  varieties  of,  224. 

Peat,  28. 

Pepino,  293. 

Peppers,  204. 

Peppers,  cultivation  of,  207. 

Peppers,  fertilizer  for,  207. 

Peppers,    hotbeds    and    coldframes 

for,  205. 

Peppers,  marketing,  207. 
Peppers,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Peppers,  seed  saving,  208. 
Peppers,  soil  and  preparation  for, 

206. 

Peppers,  varieties  of,  208. 
Pests  and  diseases,  66. 
Petunia,  177. 
Phosphate,  bone,  9. 
Phosphate  from  fish,  9. 
Phosphate  rock,  8. 
Phosphate,  Thomas,  11. 
Phosphoric  acid,  materials  used  for, 

11. 

Phosphoric  acid,  sources  of,  8 
Pigeon  pea,  289. 
Plantain,  216. 

Plant-beds,  seed-beds  and,  58. 
Plant  growth,   elements  necessary 

for,  3,  5. 
Planting,  52. 

Plants,  acre,  number  of,  65. 
Plants  as  a  source  of  nitrogen,  31. 
Plant-sheds,  57. 
Plants,  how  to  select,  46. 
Plants,   number    per  acre    (table), 

64. 
Plants  transmit  tendency  to  disease, 

46. 

Poison  bait,  72. 
Poisonous  insecticides,  67. 
Potash,  materials  used  for,  10. 
Potash,  muriate  of,  10. 
Potash,  nitrate  of,  10. 
Potash,  sources  of,  9. 
Potash,   sulfate  of,  and   magnesia, 

11. 


Index 


307 


Potash,  sulfate  of  (high  grade),  11. 
Potato,  Irish,  244. 
Potato,  Irish,  bulletins,  253. 
Potato,    Irish,    cultivation  of,  249. 
Potato,  Irish,  diseases  of,  253. 
Potato,  Irish,  fertilizer  for,  246. 
Potato,  Irish,  harvesting,  250. 
Potato,  Irish,  planting,  248. 
Potato,  Irish,  second  crop  of,  252. 
Potato,  Irish,  seed,  247. 
Potatoes  (Irish),  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Potato,  Irish,  soil  and  preparation 

for,  245. 

Potato,  Irish,  storing,  251. 
Potato,  Irish,  varieties  of,  252. 
Potato,  sweet,  254. 
Potato,  sweet,  bulletins,  260. 
Potato,  sweet,  cultivation,  257. 
Potato,  sweet,  enemies  of,  259. 
Potato,  sweet,  fertilizer,  255. 
Potato,  sweet,  marketing,  259. 
Potato,  sweet,  preparation  of  land 

for  and  transplanting,  256. 
Potato,  sweet,  propagation  of,  255. 
Potato,  sweet,  soil  for,  254. 
Potato,  sweet,  storing,  258. 
Potato,  sweet,  varieties  of,  260. 
Psophocarpus  letragonolobus,  288. 
Pumping  plant,  38. 

Quantity    of    seed     for    one    acre 
(table),  45. 

Radicula,  123. 

Radish,  264. 

Radish,     comparison    of    varieties 

(table),  268. 

Radish,  fertilizer  for,  265. 
Radish,  horse,  283. 
Radish,  marketing,  266. 
Radish,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Radish,  seed  raising,  267. 
Radish,  soil  and  preparation,  264. 
Radish,    sowing    and     cultivation, 

265. 
Radish,  varieties  of,  267. 


Ram,  hydraulic,  35. 

Rock  phosphate,  8,  11. 

Rolliza,  282. 

Roquette,  290. 

Roselle,  209. 

Roselle,  bulletin  on,  214. 

Roselle,  cultivation  of,  211. 

Roselle,  diseases  of,  214. 

Roselle,  gathering,  212. 

Roselle,  productivity,  213. 

Roselle,  propagation,  210. 

Roselle,  shipping,  212. 

Roselle,  uses  of,  213. 

Roselle,  varieties  of,  214. 

Rotation    of    crops    in    vegetable 

gardening,  29. 
Rotation  of  legumes  used  as  cover 

crops,  31. 
Rutabaga,  270. 

Salsify,  279. 

Salsify,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Sand,  light,  2. 

Sandy  loam,  2. 

Saw  palmetto  ashes,  11. 

Sechium  edule,  175. 

Seed-beds  and  plant-beds,  58. 

Seed-control  laboratories,  48. 

Seed    for    one    acre,    quantity    of 

(table),  45. 
Seed  growing,  46. 
Seed,   in   tropics,   deterioration  of, 

50. 

Seed,  nearly  all-important,  47. 
Seed,  quantity  to  sow,  44. 
Seeds  and  seed-sowing,  43. 
Seed-storing,  49. 
Seed  testing,  48. 
Shallot,  149. 
Sheds,  plant,  57. 
Slag,  basic,  11. 
Slag,  Thomas,  8. 
Snake  gourd,  292. 
Soap,  fish-oil,  69. 
Soap,  whale-oil,  69. 
Soda-sulfur  spray,  69. 


308 


Index 


Soft  phosphate,  11. 

Soil  acidity,   how  to  test  for,  20. 

Soil,  calcareous,  3. 

Soil,  marly,  3. 

Soils,  acidity  of  Florida,  20. 

Soils,  composition  of,  3. 

Soils,    for   vegetable   gardening   in 

warm  countries,  1. 
Soils,  mechanical  classification  of, 

2. 

Solanaceous  plants,  177. 
Solanum  muricatum,  293. 
Solution,  lime  sulfur,  70. 
Spilanthes  oleracea,  289. 
Spinach,  107. 
Spinach,  marketing,  108. 
Spinach,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Spinach,  varieties  of,  108. 
Spray,  bean,  71. 
Spray,  soda-sulfur,  69. 
Spray,  tobacco-sulfur,  69. 
Spraying  machines,  75. 
Sprouts,  Brussels,  87. 
Squash,  169. 

Squash,  choosing  soil  for,  170. 
Squash,  cultivating,  173. 
Squash,  fertilizer  for,  170. 
Squash,  marketing,  173. 
Squash  planting,  172. 
Squash    (summer),  seed   per   acre, 

45. 

Squash,  varieties,  174. 
Squash  (winter) ,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Strawberry  tomato,  177. 
Sub-irrigation,  40. 
Sub-irrigation,  depth  of  tile,  40. 
Sulfate  of  ammonia,  10. 
Sulfate  of  potash  and  magnesia,  11. 
Sulfate  of  potash  (high  grade),  11. 
Superphosphate,  8. 
Surface  irrigation,  40. 
Swedish  turnip,  270. 
Sweet  corn,  242. 
Sweet  corn,  varieties  of,  243. 
Sweet  potato,  254. 
Sword  bean,  290. 


Tanier,  281. 

Tanier,  bulletin,  282. 

Tanier,  propagation,  282. 

Tankage,  10,  11. 

Taraxacum  officinale,  291. 

Taro,  279. 

Tetragonia  expansa,  288. 

Thomas  phosphate,  11. 

Thomas  slag,  8. 

Tile,  drain,  40. 

Tobacco,  177. 

Tobacco  stems,  10,  11. 

Tobacco-sulfur  spray,  69. 

Tomato,  177. 

Tomato,  cultivation,  185. 

Tomato,  fertilizer,  182. 

Tomato,  packing-house,  189. 

Tomato,  picking,  188. 

Tomato    plants,    setting   out,    184. 

Tomato,   preparing  the  field,    182. 

Tomato  seed,  179. 

Tomato  seed-beds,  180. 

Tomato,  seed  per  acre,  45. 

Tomato,  soil  for,  181. 

Tomato,  strawberry,  177. 

Tomato,  tree,  292. 

Tomato,  trellising,  188. 

Tomato  vines,  pruning,  186. 

Tomatoes,  canning,  192. 

Tomatoes,  enemies  of  in  Florida,  193. 

Tomatoes  in  the  tropics,  178. 

Tomatoes,  literature  on,  195. 

Tomatoes,  saving  seed,  191. 

Tomatoes,  sorting,  190. 

Tomatoes,  staking,  187. 

Tomatoes,   summer  and  fall  crop, 

191. 

Tomatoes,  varieties  of,  194. 
Transplanting,  62. 
Tree  tomato,  292. 
Trichosanthes  Anguina,  292. 
Tropical  seeds,  50. 
Turnip,  268. 
Turnip,  marketing,  270. 
Turnip,   planting   and   cultivating, 

269. 


Index 


309 


Turnip,  soil  and  preparation,  269. 
Turnips,  seed  per  acre,  45. 
Turnip,  varieties  of,  270. 

Ullucus  tuberosus,  296. 
Upland  cress,  123. 

Varieties,  choosing  the,  44. 
Vegetable    gardening,    rotation    of 

crops  in,  29. 

Vegetables  with  edible  bulbs,  134. 
Vegetables  with  edible  fruits,  151, 

177,  209. 
Vegetables    with    edible   leaves    or 

stems,  81,  99. 

Vegetables  with  edible  seeds,  222. 
Vegetables   with   edible    tubers   or 

roots,  244. 
Vicia  Faba,  234. 
Vigna,  291. 
Voandzeia  subterranea,  242. 

Water,  35. 
Water-cress,  123. 
Watering,  35. 
Watermelon,  155. 

Watermelon,   bulletins  and  papers 
on,  160. 


Watermelon,  cultivating,  157. 
Watermelon,  diseases    and    insects 

of,  159. 

Watermelon,  fertilizer  for,  155. 
Watermelon,  marketing,  158. 
Watermelon,  planting,  156. 
Watermelon,  saving  seed,  158. 
Watermelon,  varieties  of,  159. 
Wax  gourd,  293. 
Weeds,  32. 
Weeds,   sources  of  plant  diseases, 

32. 

West  India  cucumber,  291. 
Whale-oil  soap,  69. 
Windmills,  36. 
Wood  ashes,  11. 

Xanthosoma,  281. 

Yam,  262. 
Yam-bean,  287. 
Yam,  kinds,  263. 
Yam,  preparation,  262. 
Yam,  propagation,  263. 
Yam  (sweet  potato),  260. 

Zinc  arsenite,  68. 
Zingiber  officinale,  291. 


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